Cette Ville est Contagieuse

This post is in both English and French since I presented this for my class today. If you do know french do not be afraid to correct anything cause I really need to learn. This was hard for me to try to translate but here is the account of my studies aboard.

My journey started on a plane.

Mon voyage a commencé dans une avion.

On Sunday, June 27^th I left New York for a very special trip. I was on my way to Paris. I was determined to learn French and since my previous teacher was a failure, I figured the best place to study would be France.

Le dimanche, vingt-sept de Juin, je suis parti de New York pour une très special voyage. J’ai été sur ma route à Paris. J’ai été determine à apprendre la langue française et puisque mon professeur précédente a été terrible, J’ai pensé le meilleur endroit pour apprendre serait France.

My flight was long and uncomfortable as all flights usually are. Yet when I arrived that those things no longer annoyed me. I was finally in Paris.

Mon voyage a été longtemps et mal à l’aise comme toujours. Mais quand je suis arrive, ce n’était pas important. J’étais à Paris, enfin!

My first week was full of new people, introductions, and exploration. My new friends and I roamed the city with our eyes wide and our hearts open. Every night was a picnic underneath the Eiffel tower.

Ma première semaine a été plein de gens nouveaux, les présentations, et l’exploration. Mon nouvelle amis et moi parcouraient cette ville avec nos yeux grand et nos coeurs ouverts. Chaque nuit a été un pique-nique sous le tour Eiffel.

When the second week arrived, it was time to start school. The campus was beautiful compared to the ordinary buildings we have at my school in New York. By some miracle I was placed in elementary 1. The first two weeks of class were a personal struggle since prior to this summer I’ve only taken 3 months of French. Cinema was an interesting class too.

Quand la deuxième semaine est arrivé, il était temps de commencer l’école. Le campus de l’école était plus belle que les bâtiments ordinaires dans mon école à New York. Par un miracle, j’ai été placé dans l’élémentaire une. Les deux premières semaines de classe ont été une lutte personnelle depuis avant cet été j’ai eu trois mois de cours de français seulement. Classe cinéma était intéressant aussi.

School days were long but relief came with the weekends, or so I thought. Almost every weekend meant 7am bus trips. It wasn’t until we reached our destination did everything start to pay off. The first weekend was a trip to Saint-Malo. We arrived at a cute hotel which was less than 5 minutes from the beach. The view was beautiful and the sand made a perfect bed. I think I slept for 2 hours! The next day we set out for Mont-Saint Michel. This included a 5 miles walk through grass, mud, and quicksand. It was difficult but fun.

Jours d’école ont été longues, mais secours sont venus avec le week-end, ou j’ai pensé. Presque tout week-end signifiait sept heures voyages en bus. il n’est pas jusqu’à nous sommes arrives à notre destination qu’il est devenu en vaut la peine. Le premier week-end a été un voyage à Saint-Malo. Nous sommes arrivés à un hôtel mignon qui a été de moins de cinq minutes de la plage. la vue était belle et le sable a fait un lit parfait. J’ai dormi pendant deux heures. Le prochain jour, nous sommes allés au Mont-Saint Michel. Il comprenait une période de cinq miles de marche dans l’herbe, mus, et des sables mouvants. Il était difficile mais amusant.

In between classes and excursions I managed to explore some of Paris; the Petit Palace, the Menagerie du Jardin des Plantes, the aquarium, the Louvre, beautiful gardens, and awesome parties.

Entre les classes et les excursions, j’ai exploré Paris; le palais petite, le ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes, ciné-Aqua, le Lourve, de beaux jardins, et partis impressionnant.

The second weekend was free from excursions so I planned a trip to London with my Parisian friend, Anne. And although London was not a complete positive experience, it made me realize how Paris was quickly feeling like a home and not a vacation.

Le deuxième week-end a été sans excursions alors j’ai pris un voyage à Londres avec mon ami parisien, Anne. Et bien Londres n’a pas été une bonne expérience, ça m’a fait réaliser que Paris était comme une maison et non pas des vacances.

For the third weekend we went to Loire Valley to visit 2 chateaus and Leonardo Di Vinci’s mansion; they were beautiful. We even took a boat ride and rode on a 4 person bike around the Chambord chateau. We also had the opportunity to tour a winery and taste a lot of different types of wines. Our final excursion was to Versailles the most beautiful chateau of them all.

Pour le troisième week-end nous sommes allés à la Loire pour visiter deux châteaux et la demeure de Leonardo Di Vinci; elles étaient belles. Nous avons pris un tour de bateau autour du château de Chambord. Après nous avons visité un établissement vinicole et goûté beaucoup de vin. Notre dernière excursion a été pour le plus beau château, le château de Versailles.

My most memorable experiences here are from Bastille Day. The fireman’s ball was unique and fun, the parade was rained out, but at night the fireworks were spectacular.

Mon expérience préférée à Paris est la Fête Nationale. Le bal des pompiers était unique, la parade a été pluvieuse, mais le feu d’artifice spectaculaire.

As I approach the end of my time here. I appreciate the friends I made, things I’ve learned in French and Cinema, and the sights I’ve seen. And when I return I hope I can learn more about this enchanting city.

Que je l’approche la fin de mon été ici, je apprécier les amis que j’ai fait, choses que j’ai apprises en français et le cinema, et les sites que j’ai vu. Et quand je retourne j’espère en apprendre plus sur cette charmante ville.

Bienvenue à Paris!

So I’ve been in Paris for about 24 hours and already it has been enchanting. Paris was instantly perceived to me as a more architectural beautiful version of New York City. The streets we just as crowded but Paris still manages to stay cleaner, the public transportation system is just efficient yet each city still has its certain downfalls, the walls & tunnels are also marked up with graffiti but Paris seems to have better talent in that area. I am sort of disappointed at myself for always comparing every new place I go to New York but it is a habit, my mind always goes back to what I know.

My dorm room is perfect size and overlooks the front of Cite Universitiare. Each floor has co-ed communal showers & kitchens, reminds me of Maria’s Towers but it is kind of empty since the rest of Summer 2 students do not arrive till tomorrow afternoon.

During my journey around town today with my friend Anne, I quickly discovered that Paris is a really green and energy efficient place compared to New York (there I go again). The showers on stay on for about 30 seconds so that even if you keep restarting it you cannot waste water. Every hallway light in this building is powered by motion sensors and rooms are only lit by lamps. Also the rooms do NOT have air conditioning and neither do the RER train lines. It is not hard to sleep since to sleep since it gets cool at night but the train rides was almost unbearable today. I also realized that a lot of functional things in the development of this urban require you to do for the community and not just for yourself. For example the train doors do not open unless the person standing by the door pushes the button to let other people on and the train seats by the door quickly fold up to give everyone more standing room (if you are still sitting while the train is crowded you will look rude, I know this because I did lol).

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow but I am excited (I am putting off touring the Eiffel Tower till Jana gets here). Hopefully I can find a battery and a charger for my camera being that I brilliantly left both at home plugged into the wall. I am so glad to be here in such a beautiful city.

I know it seems like I have neglected my blogging and my goals but I have just been busy working and preparing for this moment. Here is my list of goals for July:

• Learn French (main purpose of being here)
• Visit Eiffel Tower & take boat tour
• Go to Babycakes Store in UK
• Make new friends
• Take at least one museum tour
• Go to a French party
• Pass both French class & cinema class
• Take lots of pictures (this is going to be hard)
• Blog more frequently
• Learn more about European & Parisian culture
• Taste new food
• Listen to new music or attend at least on show
• Get really cute souvenirs
• Work on POP TV video project or Do at least one video blog
• Find artwork by Fafi

Also I need names of good FREE programs for my webcam on my HP. Comments, ideas, questions, and suggestions regarding this post, my trip, and this blog are greatly appreciated!

P.S. Guess who taught herself Adobe Premiere while she had no classes or internet for her first two days in Paris? Watch these video I just edited for POP TV!!!!