Paris- it has finally hit me!

If you're like me you have most likely heard from your mom sayings like, "Hard work pays off"? Well, in France mother's wisdom rings true.

It's been interesting living in a new location, older apartment, in the great city of Paris, but also in the dead of their winter. Well, it just so happened that in our central living room, our heater did not desire to live. Because of this layers were often the answer. However, if one desired to heat up in another fashion, you could choose to simply do the dishes. Answer you might not expect? Mmm, well in out petite little kitchen hot water and hard work are exactly what it takes to defrost a little. So thank you mom.

To give a quick catch up, here are a couple of things that have happened in the last couple of weeks:
1. I have started classes! (Two weeks worth to be exact) Its great actually because I am taking a whole variety of subjects: International Marketing, Macroeconomics, French, Art, and Sociology. Sociology is my favorite :)
2. Our study abroad group went on a bike tour of France! It was great actually, curving in and between Persians and pigeons, and seeing some of the great sites and small side roads. It was a couple hours long but we ended it with some of Berthilion's famous ice cream on the island of St. Louis. Coincidentally enough it wasn't until this trip that the reality of where I was actually hit me! Oh but when it did- it was fabulous!
3. I took a stroll along the Champs Elysees. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon and we strolled to and down the famous street to the Arch-de-Triomphe. And while my dad proceeded to run across to the chaotic street to reach this world noted piece of work, we took the less epic route- yep, under the road. Once to the other side, we saw underneath the massive arch, the brilliant architecture, the grave of the unknown soldier, the sites that stretch out beyond this central mark, little kids waving to the top, and more.

Those were some of the major item, but let me catch you up on some of the great sites:


This is one of the main squares in Paris that we visited. Victor Hugo lived in one of these apartments (actually one directly behind where I standing when I took this). Pretty beautiful, eh?


This is the view from another square in Paris, a royal square to be precise. Hardly any outsiders are aware of its existence but it lies a little behind the Louvre museum.


This wall, if you look close, has engravings of multiple faces along its surface. This was a memorial wall marking the point in history when the Parisians when under siege by enemy and retreated to this current day cemetery in retreat, not longing to willingly give up. However, when they were caught, they were put up again another wall and shot to death.


The actual wall.




And these coming up (transition) are from earlier:


A local gothic style church in my area that has this one twisted pillar.



A little statue of a man who stands near the isle of the same church.


St. Germain, the metro station nearest to our apartment, named based on this church which is the oldest in France and also the site of where Rene Descartes is buried! "I know therefore I am".


My friends making France a little more colorful!


View from my kitchen in the morning- I often feel like I am a character in Hitchcock's "Rear View Window".


Pont Alexander III (a famous and beautiful bridge in Paris).



The Arch-de-Triomphe


First view as we exited the underground tunnel.


Favorite view of the arch


Little girl waving to the top of the arch.

And with that, I wave farewell as well! Look forward to seeing some art pieces coming up soon, I took a visit to both the Museum of Orsay and the Louvre! Both which were very exciting! Oh and I had a crepe (Rachel!!!) - and to clue everyone else in, Nutella and banana is the best! P.S. The only crepe spot I know of in MN is in the mall of America- so if you want to empathize with me, you should go there and tell me all about it! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed all the pictures!

Au revoir!