I'm in Paris, with a million and twelve thoughts racing through my being, and searching for the words to express all of them. It's exciting, and I'm learning a lot, about everything.
About people, about the French government, about European cultures, about fashion, about language, and about who I am through who I know I am not. I'm not some ugly un-educated American, and I'm not a graceful and put-together Parisian either. I don't keep regular schedules, I'm selfish with my teddy bear, and I always want to fix everything. It's not much, what I know for sure, but it's something, and I'm able to find some solace in the quiet hours spent alone, with my diary, when I can openly admit to everything, getting to know myself.
During the this time of learning, I'm also doing a lot. My last visit to the prefecture was disappointing, and I'm starting to take the idea of writing a book about all the things no one ever tells you seriously...
Also, school's been going well, for the most part, in spite of my eternal hatred towards my alarm clock and my constant battle with the snooze button. This past weekend, I went on an excursion to Bourgogne with the school. I learned a lot about wine, made new friends, saw how gorgeous the countryside vineyards truly are, and started planning a trip to Amsterdam with one of the girls I met. It was a fabulous mini-vacation, and the girl who I shared a room with is going to go up the Eiffel Tower with me tomorrow. Both socially and psychologically, it was exactly what I needed.
The first half of this week was exhausting, and I worked a lot, but today, I finally have a couple of hours just for myself to do all the little things that are always there, or to do absolutely nothing. Things are going in a promising direction, and my weekend is looking fabulous: No classes tomorrow (Friday) morning, drinks after work with a girl from school, being a huge tourist and going up the Eiffel Tower Saturday, and our departure for Rome Sunday morning.
Honestly, I have no idea what to expect in Rome, how much I'll work, or what I'll get to see, but none of that really matters to me, not now. Simply knowing that I'll rest my head in one of the world's most beautiful cities for a whole week is more than enough for me.
It's strange, how, last week I felt as though my new world was about to crash in on me, and how, right now, it seems to be opening up to me. All of the annoying, horrible, beautiful, wonderful, confusing, fabulous things and events are happening all at once.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Recent Highlights
I've been getting things done lately. I got the last of my voting papers in the mail, and completed and shipped them immediately, and worked on my self-assigned to-do list. It's half done, which is a huge accomplishment for me! It included things like sewing a few minor tears in clothing, getting myself set up with a cell phone, and getting my mini-fridge stocked with healthy snacks. All of my initial paperwork is pretty much done, and I'm just waiting for my year-long subway pass to come in the mail, and get my official application for my residency permit taken care of, which I should be able to do on Friday morning.
It feels really good to prove to myself that I really can do all of this, on my own, without anyone else having to coax me along my way. Sometimes, I even get up in the morning WITHOUT hitting the snooze button, and if you know me well, you know what a huge accomplishment it is that I can be responsible at 6 am! Even though I don't enjoy following through with all the responsible things that I know I should do, I'm forcing myself to do them, knowing that it will (hopefully) be worth it afterwards.
With school starting, I feel like I know what to expect a little bit more. My schedule and the course outlines are definite and given, and the people there are in similar situations as I am, and I can meet people easily. I haven't hung out with anyone yet, but I just got my phone Monday and figured out how to use it properly and what my access codes are today, so I can exchange numbers with the girls I've been talking to tomorrow, and see if we can do something this weekend. I'm probably going to the American Church again on Sunday, too.
My classes themselves are going to teach me a lot, I think. I'm studying, even though I don't technically have to, to make sure I absorb as much of the language as possible. My history class is more difficult than I expected, and I'm the youngest person in both classes, so I think I have less experience than most of the others. Still, my work ethic is strong, and I'm making sure it stays strong, and I'm hoping that will help me catch up. I started reading a children's guide to French history, taking notes on the words I don't know as well as the major things that I think might be important. My hope is that it will simultaneously improve my vocabulary and give me a basic understanding of the history, which is a really important part of the culture here.
Most of what's been going on with me here has been more internal than cultural, like my revolutionary change in the level of self-discipline I use and the baby steps I'm taking to be the person I want to become. Sure, the language and cultural understanding have been gradually making process, but it's the self-discovery that's consuming me the most lately. My journal is already half full of my many contemplations and questionings about what's important and what and who it is that I'm being molded into... which I have decided is a good thing.
For my final note, let me share with you the short and interesting conversation I had with Laurent a few hours ago:
I was watching a dubbed Grey's Anatomy rerun in my room, finishing up some writing for the evening, and he knocked on my door. When I opened it, he asked me for my date of birth, and told me that they were ordering tickets for the family vacation at the end of the month. First, he commented on how young I am, which he apparently hadn't really realized prior to hearing me say "1990," and then told me "We've decided to go to Rome." Then he said goodnight and closed the door.
I'm going to ROME! Okay, I'll be baby-sitting in Rome while the rest of the family does adult-like things every night, but, I'm still going to Rome! I'd casually mention it, like Laurent did, but I'm a young, poor, excited American who's just starting to get out of the country, and I get to go to Rome, and without having to worry about how to pay for it!
ROME! That's a super-happy thought! :-)
It feels really good to prove to myself that I really can do all of this, on my own, without anyone else having to coax me along my way. Sometimes, I even get up in the morning WITHOUT hitting the snooze button, and if you know me well, you know what a huge accomplishment it is that I can be responsible at 6 am! Even though I don't enjoy following through with all the responsible things that I know I should do, I'm forcing myself to do them, knowing that it will (hopefully) be worth it afterwards.
With school starting, I feel like I know what to expect a little bit more. My schedule and the course outlines are definite and given, and the people there are in similar situations as I am, and I can meet people easily. I haven't hung out with anyone yet, but I just got my phone Monday and figured out how to use it properly and what my access codes are today, so I can exchange numbers with the girls I've been talking to tomorrow, and see if we can do something this weekend. I'm probably going to the American Church again on Sunday, too.
My classes themselves are going to teach me a lot, I think. I'm studying, even though I don't technically have to, to make sure I absorb as much of the language as possible. My history class is more difficult than I expected, and I'm the youngest person in both classes, so I think I have less experience than most of the others. Still, my work ethic is strong, and I'm making sure it stays strong, and I'm hoping that will help me catch up. I started reading a children's guide to French history, taking notes on the words I don't know as well as the major things that I think might be important. My hope is that it will simultaneously improve my vocabulary and give me a basic understanding of the history, which is a really important part of the culture here.
Most of what's been going on with me here has been more internal than cultural, like my revolutionary change in the level of self-discipline I use and the baby steps I'm taking to be the person I want to become. Sure, the language and cultural understanding have been gradually making process, but it's the self-discovery that's consuming me the most lately. My journal is already half full of my many contemplations and questionings about what's important and what and who it is that I'm being molded into... which I have decided is a good thing.
For my final note, let me share with you the short and interesting conversation I had with Laurent a few hours ago:
I was watching a dubbed Grey's Anatomy rerun in my room, finishing up some writing for the evening, and he knocked on my door. When I opened it, he asked me for my date of birth, and told me that they were ordering tickets for the family vacation at the end of the month. First, he commented on how young I am, which he apparently hadn't really realized prior to hearing me say "1990," and then told me "We've decided to go to Rome." Then he said goodnight and closed the door.
I'm going to ROME! Okay, I'll be baby-sitting in Rome while the rest of the family does adult-like things every night, but, I'm still going to Rome! I'd casually mention it, like Laurent did, but I'm a young, poor, excited American who's just starting to get out of the country, and I get to go to Rome, and without having to worry about how to pay for it!
ROME! That's a super-happy thought! :-)
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Take Note!
I added a few links to my sidebar -->
I'll be putting my photos into the photobucket, which you can click on and check out at any given time! I'm uploading as I type... so all the pics from Oldenburg to Paris are going up. Eventually, they'll even be organized and stuff, too!
I'll be putting my photos into the photobucket, which you can click on and check out at any given time! I'm uploading as I type... so all the pics from Oldenburg to Paris are going up. Eventually, they'll even be organized and stuff, too!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
