Final France update

well it sure has been a long time since my last blog about my stay in France.
Once I arrived in Paris, the only time spent on a computer was paid for through my wallet at the hostel, so I only had time for one chat session on g-mail, and a quick reply to a message.

Paris was overall, not as I hoped it would be. Only because I was always imagining it to be romantic, beautiful and somewhat devious as it is in each movie I watch where the characters reside in the moon lit city. This might only be because I was in a hostel, and did not have the chance to meet too many residents. And probably because every person spoke english, as well as french and some spansish or italian. However, the area I stayed in was the biggest "hot spot" in town, meaning there were sex shops, lingerie stores that spread for 3 blocks minimum, hippie like people, and not to mention the scene of the Moulin Rouge was right in my alley. I was in the bohemian neighborhood. The lack of the romantic setting only seemed to entice couples to publicly display their affection with each other in such a way that is only occurring behind closed doors where I come from. It was a rush.

From the moment we stepped foot off the train in Paris, we were immediately on an expedition to see the sights. We emptied our luggage in our rooms at the Hostel, and hopped on multiple subways to visit the world famous Rodin (pronounced ROH-DUH) museum. It was beautiful, but the only thing on display was MORE PDA. Each statue seemed to be having "alone time" with itself, or another statue! But it was still enjoyable. I had Schuyler snap a shot of me in front of the grass with the museum in the background:

Not long afterward, we were already on our way to see and experience the single most exciting thing of my life: The Eiffel Tower. The one thing I have always wanted to witness! I was so excited, but not looking forwards to walking up 700 stairs. The closer we got to the tower, the bigger and bigger it was getting. I always though it was maybe 2 or 3 space needles together..but I was far wrong. It was probably exactly...4 million space needles ;) I took video updates of me walking up the tower, and I will soon piece them all together to make a video of my trip involving music, videos, pictures, and possibly commentary!

The shopping was EXPENSIVE, but quite enjoyable. Of the days in Paris, we all went to the most famous museum in the entire world, the Louvre (pronounced LOOV), where the Mona Lisa is being held in captivity. I was pumped to finally see it, and pay close attention to the detail of the work, and create an opinion on if it is a man or woman, but there was a rope surrounding it from about 15 feet away, a bullet proof glass case, two body guards, and a tiny picture frame.. Not even my camera could get a good view of the most famous painting to go down in history. Still exciting though.

Ahh the Champs Elysees..Where millions of celebs have purchased their Aston Martins, Versace wear, and million dollar chocolate eggs. The 8 car-wide highway leading to the L'arc de Triumph. It was so exciting shopping along the most popular shopping lane in the world, but also exhausting since my pockets were emptied after one purchase. It was of course at a Sephora. This store was soooo enormous! Here is a picture =]

I wanted to have my makeup done and find new shadow shades of blue to match my scarf, so she used custom colors, and i decided to buy the look. She told me it was only going to be 50€, so I bought the custom pallet, and it turned out to be 100 bucks!!!! But I don't regret it. I wore it to school yesterday and I looked like a mermaid =] (my nickname growing up)

I will be posting so many picture shortly of the entire trip, so don't worry!

I also was able to go into the castle of Versailles! (VER-SIGH) This is where Maria Antoinette lived, and became infamously involved during the french revolution! I went through her bedroom and everything and saw the kind and queens very beds!
Tammie and I became super close on the trip =] We were getting left behind too often by Adrienne and Collrane, so we decided "whatevaaaa" and we roamed throughout the million acre garden! It was so beautiful, and we shared the most tasty sandwich ever! But I was really sad because I saw a bird choke on bread, fall over on it's side, struggle in pain, and slowly lower it's limbs to the ground, giving up =[ I was almost in tears.
I also was able to attend mass in the Notre Dame!!! It was so amazing, and the stain glass windows were breathtaking.

By far, the most beautiful thing I experienced in Paris, was the Eiffel Tower at night when it was lit up, and the light show was going on! Each night for a few hours only lasting 10 minutes at the top of each hour, there is a light show on the tower, and I would fly back to Paris just to witness it again, with a lover only to make the experience richer. Here is a video, but imagine being directly under it, and having all of the lights catch your eye like diamonds reflecting from a chandelier in a dark room.

One of the funniest memories on the trip was during "fish day" which is April 1st. No one had played any jokes, and I could not take it any longer. When we were all on the subway, we had to rush to get off and make 22 people out of the doors before they closed and run out to see more sights. 3 people accidentally exit the wrong side, and there was no way we could make it bc the doors were closing. We had to wait for the other 3 to take the underground stairs and end up on our side, the correct side. Once they were gone, another train pulled up. I yelled that everyone should run through for fish day, and when they arrived on the right side, we would be on the other side, and tell them that they were still on the wrong side. EVERYONE RAN! it was hilarious!!! except they saw up, and showed up right where we were so it didn't work haha.

I will definitely miss getting sick of the gypsies, and getting fed up, and going up to them and being pushy begging TO them. hahaha. They got so mad that I was begging them for money, they started cussing at me in french! Everyone was laughing so hard!

This was definitely a trip to remember, and I only hope someday in my life I will be able to move to Nantes and feel at home.

French update #8

I am soooo sad!
Tonight was so hard saying goodbye to everyone =( but I will get to tha at the end of this entry.
Which by the way, this is my last entry until I am home in Seattle, bc no internet in the Hostel =(

The day started with a slideshow of ugly snapshots of each person, and my only picture (solo) looked so gross! haha. It was not too big of a problem since I was given so many compliments on my eye makeup today =) I love doing eye makeup! I plan to buy new shadows in Paris! But after the slideshow, we all found out that we did not have plans for the day anymore, since the castle number 4 plan did not work out. Therefor, we were given a 6 hour shopping day!!!!! I know, it's hard to believe! So we decided to go to a new shopping mall as small groups. It was pretty nice, and I got an adorable white and cream argyle sweater, that is sooooo cute. But that is all I bought, since I am trying to save up for a little spending in Paris.
We started to get hungry, so we all sat down in a cute little pizzeria. It was definitely no Pagliacci, but it was authentic, so what can you say? =)
Besides, it was FREE!! I love when people like to buy me things! haha

Our group wandered around the mall for quite a while, before we decided to hop on a tram to one of the previous castles. On the tram, there are usually little kids who beg for money in their designer jeans.. so I decided that I was sick of people asking me for money. Once one of them walked up to me with his hands out, and put my arm up and started begging HIM for money. I put my open palm in his face, and he rolled his eyes and started getting mad in French. HAHA.

Enjoying the scenery, and in the spirit of Europe, we HAD to grab some gelato! Ceffé for me of course, and Adrienne has rasberry, Collrane had lemon, and Schuyler had mango, which was DELICIOUS by the way. As we were sitting down enjoying France, we noticed a small group of people speaking english, so we asked where they were coming from. We then found out they were pro actors, in France for a play that we were invited to! We got our pictures taken with hem, but later refused the offer to see the play, in order to enjoy a final dinner/ night with my host family.

Before going home, all of the students being hosted, and hosting had a tea party at the high school, which by the way I found out it was a catholic school, so now I can say I went to catholic school! haha. It was pretty fun, but too gross. The group I was xhatting with was making Emily and I do nothing but gag to the thoughts of the nasty tea talk..about puss and nastyness....gross. lol

But once we were home, I enjoyed my first official nap in Nantes. We have had so much family time, which was great, but I was soooo tired. After my half hour power nap, dinner was already on the table waiting to be eaten. Tonight was a fun dinner!
étienne snuck his camera to the table, and snapped pictures of us at our worst times! haha. It was so much fun being able to laugh so hard at the dinner table.
After dinner, Adrienne and I were packing; when all of the sudden érienne popps his head in the door, and drops a manila envelope onto my bed. When I opened it, I smiled SO BIG! He wrote a letter all in english! haha and it was so nice, and I will definitely keep it with other memorabilia from this trip. Also in the envelope, were pictures from the dinner table, and an apology for the poor camera quality! It was so cute!
So I grabbed my camera, and set it up on a timer, and took a few pictures with zaza and étienne =) I hated saying goodbye to zaza bc I will miss her soooo much, but at least she will be able to come visit me in seattle and stay for a couple weeks in October! =D But it was funnier trying to say goodye to étienne since he does not believe in giving hugs, and as americans, it is TRADITION to hug, so we waited for about 20 minutes until he finally gave in =)

I wrote each one of them a nice letter, and left pictures of me, my family, and the prom picture they adored for them to keep so they do not forget my lovely lil face. haha. Tomorrow will truely be a sad day, having to say bye to such a perfect family. =(
I really enjoy it here, and there isn't much about home in Seattle that I enjoy or really lis now. Obviously I miss a couple things.. =) but I can also honestly say I want to live here, and if there were a couple people with me, I would find no reason to ever go back.

Au Revoir Nantes! Now I will be off to aris, to stay in one of the biggest "hot spots" in the world! Not to mention, ONE BLOCK AWAY from the Moulin Rouge!!! Expect pictures for sure.
It was a pleasure blogging, and I will bring lotts of huggs and kisses when I return =)

xo.

France update #5

Bonjour!!
Today has been amazing!!!
I woke up at my own pace and decided to get ready, and part my bangs a new "french" bangs. Once I was done eating breakfast with ZaZa (Isabelle), her older sister and brother came over once again.
I knew it was going to be a good day once Bénédicte arrived and we would go to the market, which was a lot like pike place in Seattle. She bought tons of lamb, veggies, fruits, chesse and bread, and it was so much fun to hang out and help her shop.
After the market, I decided to get dropped off downtown and use the map that Margo, zaza's sister drew me to get to studio 54 (the tattoo shop). I started to walk and get really excited. I had to meet Adrienne there at 1:30 for the meeting about tattoos and what not. I started to get lost, so I asked one of the street vendors for help.
Side note: there was a huge carnival downtown which is like a big street fair as we call it. so all of the shops were outside with people walking everywhere.
So I stopped at one with three Asian girls and one white boy, and the boy offered to walk with me to the shop so I accepted.
He spoke very little english so we mostmy stuck with french. He started asking me what I had planned for my evening, and I told him I might see a movie with my family, and have a friend stay the night.
Side note again: Adrienne was having a hard time with her family and mu host mom invited to have her stay the night and have a better time in France. It was then up to her host mom.
The man who was about 25 seemed bummed that I didn't^plan on going to a discotheque, but I said I kind of wanted dto with my friend. He was happy and decided to wait at the tattoo place with me for Adrienne even thought I said he didn't have to. She never showed up for about an hour and a half later. He had to leave and he kept looking at me like so,ething was going to happen.. then he gave me his phone number and offered to pick me up tonight and said when he gets drunk his english is better, and I would see it later tonight.. then I could get he was about to kiss me goodbye so I stuffed my pizza in my ,outh and he smiled like something was gonna happen tonight and guess who didn't get a phone call?! haha HIM. No one is getting any sort of somethin from me except my Ethan!
So the people at the tattoo place told me that the neck is the worst spot and it doesnt last so I decided I would wait to get my family tattoo at Admiral when I get to Seattle. So I went shopping by myself while waiting for Adrienne to get there, and I bought a cute knit half sweater in red that ties at the belly button, and the perfect hoodie for Ethan!!!! If he does not like it I knoz his roommate Danny will love it!!!! and it is not too baggy on me so maybe I will keep it? haha jk. Ethan BETTER like it!!!!! OR ELSE! but it has really thick stripes in white, DARK blue, ocean blue, and a lighter blueish grey! so i really think he will like it bc it will look perfect with jeans.
After shopping I was like...eff this.. So I went back to the shop ready to get a peircing instead bc I wanted so,ething that would not be 125€! And I saw Adrienne!!! She had just paid for her belly button ring!! And I decided to get my nose studded with a baby diamond and it looks très jolie!! (very pretty) I love it!
after wards, she went home to see if she could stay the night; and I met up with zaza after.
When I was xaiting for her, I was sitting in a big group of teenagers in the chairs, and their friends came up to meet them, and they went around and kissed their friends. I think they thought I was with them bc both boys knealed down, said salut, and then kissed my cheeks. I was like.. umm...okay? and everyone started laughing and I hear them say in french, "she isn't with us!!" and they felt dumb and I laughed haha.
Then shopping with zaza at the street shops, this asian boy about 19 ish noticed I am américaine and he yelled "I LOVE AMERICANS! MY NAME IS THAN? AND I THINK YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL!!" hahahaha I was laighing so hard. I love feeling so welcome here!

Later when I got home after shopping at H&M with zaza and her friend (bought the cutes outfit!!!) , I talked to the teachers, and the let Adrienne stay the night! My family was so nice to her at dinner! I hope she can stay the rest of the time with us!
Well, we are about to watch a movie on the laptop. And I need to attend to my e-mail =)

write back tomorrow about this time!!!

Huggiessies!!!! xo <3