On top of the world... well, maybe on top of America's gift to France...

Class today was horrible!! I am NOT deep enough for all these English majors-- I just want to be on TV?! haha Seriously though, I'm glad, it's too sad of a world for all that business.

Anyway, today we went to the Musee National Eugene Delacroix. I was not impressed. However, I did like the part of town we were in. Dior, Armani we all there so it was pretty and nice.

We left there and went to a chapel that was dark, old and scary. The organ was playing music you'd hear in a scary movie. We then went to the Pantheon-- looked around then left to do some shopping on the way to the metro.

Did I mention it was freeeeezzing today?! This is us trying hard to look cold :)

Heath, Christen and I in the basement cave :)

We came back to the FIAP, took a nap and got ready to go to the Eiffel Tower!! We left the FIAP around 8:15-- once we got there I decided I wanted to bu

y some of those Eiffel Tower keychains all the little men were running around selling. But I didn't want 1 for just 1 Euro-- I wanted 4 for 1 Euro! So I started the hunt, found my haggling prospect. He wanted to sell me 3 for 2 Euro, no thanks! I finally got 4 out of him all for 1 Euro-- I know, awesome!

So we make it to THE TOWER, all have to stand in a line by ourselves (our group) and up we went! The elevators are double decker and they cram probably about 50 people in each level. We went up and the elevator went a little sideways-- then we stopped and they had fake worker men hanging from the metal... like so.....

We had to get off and switch to another elevator to take us up to the very top. While we were waiting we all got on facebook on my phone and changed our status'.. had to brag a little! Anyway, when you get off it puts you in an enclosed room and you have to climb one flight of stairs to get to the top open air part. it was AMAZING! We could see everything.

Sam flew a plane (paper airplane) off the top and we watched it until it hit the ground. AND documented the whole thing. Therese and I took out jumping picture (duh) at the top as usual. We hung out up there until it started flashing at 10. It wasn't as near on it as it was watching so we went down and watched.

BUT not after I bought Eiffel Tower shaped pasta at the top! Therese and I haggled a man with light up Eiffel Tower earrings and towers. I think he was pretty pissed when we didn't buy anything.. good thing we didn't speak his language?! Oh yeah, I also got some Eiffel Tower prints while on top of the tower. We then went for crepes and stopped by to say hello to Antonio. We left there and went back to the FIAP to go to bed!

View from the top-- beautiful!

How breath taking is this?

Death & Jackpot!

So we were supposed to get up this morning and attend mass at Notre Dame but Therese and I overslept on accident. So we slept til lunch, showered then went to lunch. Then we decided to go to the market- we rode for what seemed like forever then got off and it reminded me of death. (We heard these two girls on the trip with us found this awesome market with cute, cheap things) I feared for my life and I’m not being dramatic. A man that could have been Osama was sitting there at the metro stop. I did however, buy a bag for 10 euro that I could check on the way back since I had to have something and it was cheap—then we got the hell out of there.

We found the art market at Montparsse. I just felt weak all day so I wasn’t much into it either. And I knew I wouldn’t buy any of this artwork anyway. They had drawings on metro tickets… I mean it was cool but seriously? We spend some time there then went to check movie times at one of the cinemas for “Jackpot” or “What Happens in Vegas” in America . We decided we’d come back at 8. (We had to make sure the movie was in English! I’d hate to have to watch it in subtitles like the French…) Anyway, we went to eat at McDonalds. They had a code to get in the bathroom.. and btw, Mcdonalds was gross!

After dinner we went back to FIAP to put our bags up, I fell asleep and then we left around 7:30 for the movie. It was 9.90 euro to get in the movie and 4.50 for gummies! I felt like such an American and it felt sooooo good! Cause the movie AND previews were all in English! It was a cute movie, I felt like I was on an American vacation. After the movie they sent us out the back of the building in what felt like an alley. Once we got back therese and I played games like mash and made a fortune teller. I was OUT soon after! *I'm adding some pics of movie posters in Paris... I think it's pretty cool over here... note Sex and the City came out the week before it did America and the bottom poster is for Fools Gold or L'Amour de L'or in French!

OMG, this woman is going to mug us!

We slept in today… seriously… I’m in Paris and all I feel like I’m doing is sleeping! Showers and lunch were next on our agenda and then off to the Louvre for round two! We went straight to Napoleons apartment. It was soo extravagant. I loved the vanity!

Can I have one for Christmas please?! We walked around a lot but I didn’t look at much. I think it stresses me out a little too much. We met a woman from Alabama who got all of her things stolen the day before. We were all just waiting to find out it was really a joke--- like here’s the American who is making us feel sorry for her only to find out she is about to mug us and take us hostage!

We left the Louvre and went outside to take pictures in front of the pyramid.

It was chilly today which was a good switch! This weather is soooo unpredictable! Jen Win called while we were outside to tell Big she is ENGAGED! Holy moly! Moving on, gelato was next on the agenda and then dinner at the “spot.” It started to pour while we were eating so we waited it out. I had the roasted chicken and fries--- talk about freakin good! We made it back to the fiap and ran into the Banes who were going to some exhibit on Marie Antoinette and to see all the lights! (all the museums were turning all their lights on for this one night) and it happens once a year. We waited in line for TWO hours only to get to the door and be turned away!

We saw the arc de triomphe for the first time at night--- BEAUTIFUL! We went to the Eiffel Tower after that to souvenir stores and we all got crepes—I had a chocolate crepe that was much better than the first one! And that was the end of my Saturday!

First time to see the Arc de Triomphe! Absolutely Beautiful!

I don't know what the deal was with this woman... but I supported her cause for one euro!

on the 7th day I rested...

I woke up around 11 today to finish my journals for class—so I did that, ate lunch then Therese and I went back to bed! I journaled a little when I got in bed but quickly fell asleep. We slept until around 6:30ish and then it was time for dinner! Hamburgers is whats for dinner tonight! Well I had mine minus the bun and imagine this—French fries! After dinner we spent some quality big/little/Christen time in the laundry room—journaling, ironing and well- doing laundry! We ate some peaches (yum! Good fruit here!) and oranges in bed. I’m still in bed and we’re about to crash for the night. We are so boring! But like I said… this town wears me out!

"does Heath know his teeth are black?!"

Today we didn’t have a room for class so we had it in the laundry room. It was packed tight and very hot. Imagine a tiny itty bitty room with dryers going and a bunch of students… not cool. It didn’t take us long to get kicked out and we relocated outside—then it started to rain and hallelujah—class was over! We covered the Love Suicides at Amijima- I actually thought this one was interesting! I took a nap , got dressed, ate lunch then we left for the Musee national d l’Orangerie. Where Monet’s Water Lillies is! Woo hoo! They also had Matisse works there which I love.

Did I mention the Water Lillies is HUGGGE! Like never in my dreams would I have imagined how big these were. Two full circle rooms… I was amazed! The museum wasn’t very big so we finished there, walked around, went to some souvenir shops and then went shopping- again! We stopped at a crepe shop at the Montparnasse Bienveniie metro stop. It was different than I thought it would be. We went shopping, they had lots of cute little shops. They had nothing in my size or I would have bought way more! So it might be a good thing? I finally found some cute stuff at H & M. (yes, I know I could shop here in America ) It’s hard checking out and not speaking the language.

We went to some mens store with Heath, finally mens for Heath! He found some pretty sweet things then we headed back to Denfert for you guess it… gelato! The guy working recognizes us now! “see you tomorrow,” he said. We stopped at the monoprix for a bottle of wine…. 1.88! Can’t beat that… even in euros! Then we came back, ate dinner and I worked on school work. Everyone on the trip stopped by to tell us they were going out so we decided for the first time we’d join them. We went to a British pub and hung out for a little while. Therese got her picture with a man that looks like Dr. Phil. He gave me his business card and insisted that I email him the picture once we got back to the states.

Ohhh, funnnny story! You know that cheap wine I just told you about... well Heath had a good bit before we left to go out and it turned his teeth black! Well you know almost black... really dark. Hilarious! He couldn't get it all off and we told him it was fine. Well... he drank more on the way and once we got to the Frog (the pub we went to) Everyone kept telling him his teeth were black or asking us if he knew.... priceless!

Okay, back to our night.... We ended up having to take a taxi back to the FIAP because the metro stops running at 2 am! Our taxi driver, Rodrigo, got lost on the way home.. do you think he stopped the meter? No way! They drive BMWs, etc for taxis over here. Heath and I got in a little trouble on the way back from the driver…. Something about you can't steal the stickers off the windows in a taxi in Paris and stick them to your legs!? Who would have thought... Oops but it was so fun!

We finally got back and I got a phone call from Jay… so I got to talk to him for a little while. It’s so funny to me when I get phone calls over here because here it is like 3 in the morning when it’s like 8:00 pm in the states. So he was just getting ready to go out while we were just getting in. Anyway, after my conversation I tried sleeping with it was a really noisy night at the FIAP after everyone got in. My phone woke me up with the most hilarious facebook message I think I’ve ever gotten. Can’t say I know how to take someone professing their love in a facebook message?! Hahahah, nice.

Big and Rodrigo, the cab driver

Christen, Heath and I holdin in down in the back of the cab

The crew with Dr. Phil and his friends :)

The most amazing Paris orignal... called a sex in the sea... or by in the sea? We never could get it right... we just called them sex in the cities! It's delish!

my day with Mona.... :)

Today we skipped class and went straight to the Louvre. (btw, I had straight hair today J ) yay! We didn’t have to stand in line- we went first to look for the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. We saw Venus first. The ceilings were so amazing in this place, seriously breathtaking! I didn’t know it use to be a castle with a moat and everything! There isn’t water in the moat anymore but it’s amazing how big this place really is. We walked for over 2 hours and saw so many paintings ceilings and sculptures, jewelry, Egyptian hieroglyphs, etc.

We finally found the Mona Lisa—it was a mad house trying to see her. It’s funny because I’ve heard so much about it as I grew up. Going to Southside Elementary we had a focus on art so we studied a lot of the works I saw today. It was also crazy because people are always like it’s so little once you finally see it. I’m going to attach a picture because it is small but it’s bigger than I thought it would be. Its just kinda overpowered by the huge wall it hangs on.

I finally got up almost close enough to see- I offered to take some mans picture because he was trying to do it himself and it wasn’t working too well for him. He was very thankful. He pointed to my camera and I to see if I wanted him to take my picture as well. He made hand motions to switch places with me so finally I got moved to the front! Woo hoo! It had so many cases around it so it didn’t photograph well and it made it less impressive to me. Still, it’s freakin Da Vinci, seriously…. I’m actually seeing this?!

We ate lunch at the Louvre, went to the gift store and then decided to leave and save the rest for another day. This place was so overwhelming there is no way you can do it all in one day and we were soo tired! We rode the metro for what seemed like forever, Therese ended up going back to the FIAP because she didn’t feel good. The rest of CHAT attempted to go shopping. NOTHING! I thought the shopping was going to be amazing! We got gelato and came back.

My feet have never been swollen but they were bad! We fell asleep around four and didn’t wake up until almost 11! Therese and I ate all the food in our room for dinner…. Clementines, Oranges , cookies, granola bars, gummi smiles. We went downstairs and checked our email and facebook then went back to sleep. Paris wears me out! OKAY, I'm leaving you with a picture of us waiting to get close to Mona! excited :)

straight, dry hair and expensive loofas!

Today we had class for a whole hour! Then we took naps, ate lunch and went out for the day. First we visited Notre Dame- the church was beautiful. It reminded me of Sewanee, the large Rose windows and the ceilings. We stayed there for about thirty minutes then went to the crypt of Notre dame. I understand that it was part of the old Paris and this is what’s preserved of it. It was pretty neat but I didn’t understand a whole lot about it.

After that we went to the Concierge where they held Marie Antionette. I didn’t know the story so Heath informed me and now I know! (Shoulda done my research like mom told me to!) After we left there went to get gelato before we had to be back for the cocktail party the FIAP was holding for us. Christen fell as we were running back (because we were running soooo late) and cut her knee up and ripper her jeans. After the cocktail party we went to put on comfy clothes and went to explore. We ended up going to eat at the café around the corner that has now become “our spot.” Big and I split the pepperoni pizza then we came home and crashed!

Oops, I forgot the most important part! We FINALLY got a hairdryer and a straighter from the Monoprix. And they were only 55 euro! But seriously, 4 euro for a loofa? That is equivalent to $6.60 in American money when they only cost like .50 cents in America ! Good thing this European money is only play money……… right Heath?

This picture is from our trip to the Monoprix... it's dish washing detergent but it spells CHAT.... how perfect! Just like Christen, Heath, Alex and Therese! :)

le C.H.A.T

Today was the earliest we got up-- at 7:30! We showered, had breakfast, then went to class at 9. We stayed in class til right around 11., had lunch around noon then headed out by 1:00. Our first stop was the Bastille. We rode the metro until we reached the stop, got out, took some pictures then got back on the metro to the house of Pablo Picasso.

We toured the museum but there were no pictures allowed so Christen and I snuck one in the bathroom just so we could say we had one. We joined Heath and Therese on the terrace, chatted then left for the cemetery. 

I hate cemeteries. I see nothing exciting about them so I hated this part. Right at the beginning Christen, Heath and I got lost from the rest of the group. We had no map so we got way lost- it was a huuuge cemetery. We wondered around and made up stories about the people we saw, etc. We then got tired so we sat down ate some nuts and waited to find the rest of the crew. 

We didn't see Jim Morrisons grave but I can't say that I cared. We came back to the Fiap and took naps. We finally woke up around 9 and decided to go to the Monoprix, eat and go see the lights at the Eiffel Tower. (at night on the hour it lights up and sparkles) We got to the Monoprix and it was closed- imagine that! So back to the Metro we go and stop at the Eiffel Tower! We saw the lights- it was beautiful and amazing! I loveeeed it! Then all the sudden I heard jingling and running coming towards me. At first I was scared cause I was about to get stomped to the ground. It was the men selling the Eiffel Tower key chains! They were running from the cops!! hhahaha

OKAY, so then I was starving!! We found a cute little place to eat and it was delish! Beside the 4 euro we had to pay a piece for a single glass of water--- refill, yup 4 euro! We met a man who worked there named Antonio who gave us a hard time the whole time we were there. I think he developed a crush on Christen and I. He held our hands and flirted. He even gave us a wine opener! woo hoo! Told us we would have to come back and give it back to him.... we'll go back because the food was good but he's not getting his opener back! :) 

After dinner we went next door to a souvenir shop. Christen and I were looking around and all the sudden someone snuck up behind us, put their arms around us and said, "Why did you not say good-bye. You come see me again?" We got huge hugs, I feel like he had us in a chokehold. See, I told you he loved us.

NEXT, my favorite thing we figured out today.... C.H.A.T. All our names spell CHAT. Christen, Heath, Alex, and Therese. Just another piece of the Da Vinci code I guess... We decided we would all buy "I love Paris" shirts and wear them on Wednesdays like on Mean Girls because we said we feel like the plastics. 

SO, were back to the FIAP, chatting and we are soo tired. We are trying to put together the pieces of the Da Vinci code but that will have to wait.... I'm passin out! 

Day 2 in the City of Lights!

T-Bird and I slept til like 1:30 today then Heath and Christen joined us in out room as we shared all of our nicknames with each other. I don't know if I have laughed that hard in a really long time. Finally around 3:30 after we missed both breakfast and lunch we jumped on the metro and headed to the Monoprix- closed again. Seriously?! I guess cause it's a Sunday... oh well.

So we walked around looking for food. We stopped at a pastry shop- Heath got a chocolate something and when he took a bite the powder on the top blew in his eye and all over his face- the lady working just laughed and offered him napkins. We then found and decided on the Indiana cafe but couldn't understand the menu. I guess they just gave us the drink and appetizer menu. So we decided on water, nachos and chicken quesidilias. Six euro for a bottle of water! Unlike America they don't split tickets. It came out to about eight euro a person. We then decided to get on the metro and ride to a name that looked good. We get on the metro and there is a pit bull on there- seriously?!

We pick a name and decide to get off-- we think it's the ghetto but decided to walk around anyway and it was beautiful! The part of town was amazing. Wonderful shopping but of course it was all closed because it was Sunday. We found an H & M, Mac, lots of cute little French shops. We then got back on the metro, rode around, got a little lost. I love that when we ride the metro Heath pushes all the girls out of the doors so no one gets stuck on the train or lets the doors closed on us :)

So we made it back to the Denfert stop and found ice cream. Or I guess they call it gelato. OMG- it's amazing! You start by ordering the size then you can pick as many flavors as you like. So we have out ice cream and are walking through these buildings like you see on movies. There is fruit all over the place and the smell of the strawberries is amazing! They have all the fresh fruit you could imagine. Bananas, strawberries, pineapples, clementines, oranges, etc.

Finally we get back to the metro- get turned around.... a while later we make it back to the Fiap. Which I should probably talk about the FIAP for a little-- Humm, well the idea is good but the food is disgusting. You can't sleep because it is soo loud. They charge for everything extra and it's soo hott!

When we had C.H.A.T. time earlier (C.H.A.T. stands for Christen, Heath, Alex and Therese) we were hanging out in Therese and I's room. Well there is a picture hanging on our wall above Therese's bed and we were trying to make up a story about it but we couldn't decide what it was.. sheep, a big rock or houses. So we took the picture off the wall to get a closer look as it came down Therese screamed "Oh my gosh!" We turned it around and all is says is "F the FIAP!" in every language possible. So we want to know what the Fiap has done to all these people.

Let me talk about our room for a minute, since it will only take a minute... it's that small. You walk in and there are a few shelves right before you walk into the bathroom. The room is shades of orangeish red. Here's the only picture I could find of it... as you can see there is like a two foot walkway. It's tiny! Two twin size beds and at the end of my bed (where the pic is taken from) There are two large windows.. that we sleep with open because it's so warm!) And you can see the picture hanging on the wall there. Our closet has four hangers and then we both have a little built in desk.

Okay back to when we got back to FIAP. I decided I should start reading since we start class tomorrow and I haven't done any of the required reading. I get past Act 1, Scene 1 (of Tartuffe) and pass out. Therese woke me up at 8 to go eat dinner. We all go late and french fries is all they have left. We sat outside cause it felt good and chowed down on our fries. The birds ate with us- inside or out!

We got back to our rooms, I tried to read then, called Dr. Bane to ask a question about class and then I asked what him and his wife, Paulette, were doing cause we were bored. He said to come meet them at the cafe around the corner. We get our other half and join them. We ordered two pizzas to split and a bottle of wine. Our waiter asked if we spoke French. We all replied no, no... here it came.. he kept saying "If I come to America, i learn English!" He gave us a hard time. So we sat around for a couple hours, met some English people- my smart self asked them if they spoke English after they has already been speaking to me... in English! Therese and Heath met and chatted with some people from Chicago while Christen and I had a nice little chat. I've always liked her and enjoy her company.

We pretty much got kicked out so we left to come back to the FIap and go to bed. I read the whole rest of my book- amazing i know- then I went to bed. I can't sleep without my sominex. It's too loud, some boy was actually outside the windows singing "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain. I finally put my ipod on and fell asleep.

6 pounds overweight = $80.00!

My trip started six pounds overweight at the Little Rock airport. It would have been 80 dollars extra had Therese and I not crammed all we could in our carry on bags. That turned out to be miserable, my backpack killed me... and I wouldn't find out until later that I'd walk the whole city of Paris lugging that bag! But it could have been worse, Heaths bags were 15 pounds overweight! His parents took shoes and clothes home that he could stand to lose.

Finally, our bags were headed to Paris along with the 28 UCA students on the trip! Actually it was off to Cincinnati!.... or was it Cleveland?! We sat in the Ohio airport for six long hours! Therese, Christen, Heath and I ate at Outback, our last real American meal for a month. We all got along so well so I knew this was going to be the time of my life. After dinner we found somewhere to sit and wait. I spent the majority of the time there texting, a luxury I had taken away for a month once I boarded the plane! Then, it finally hit me- I am about to sit on a plane for for eight in a half very long hours, I've never sat still that long- it's against my nature. I've been talking about this day for over six months but I never actually thought May 9th would come.

So we board and boy am I jealous of first class, someday! They gave us toothbrushes, paste, pillows, blankets, ear plugs, eye masks, etc. for the long flight but first class got first class things. They made our welcome packs look weak. We finally took off and we were headed for France! I've flown a lot in my time and it never makes me nervous, I know I'm going to die when I'm going to die... why worry? But the thought of the majority of our flight being spent over oceans kind of freaked me out. They served us dinner and breakfast- it wasn't half bad, I was impressed. They also played two movies that I can remember- Dirty Money and the Golden Compass. I remember very little of the first and I woke up during Office Space maybe? They showed a lot I hear but I took two sleeping pills and was out for about seven hours.

Every landing we had on the way there was rough. However, I was just happy to have finally made it. Living out of an overweight backpack and airports wasn't my cup of tea. It look us three painful and long hours to claim bags and take the subway to where we were staying, the Fiap. Finally we made it drenched in sweat and with sore hands. We've already decided we are taking a cab back to airport. We had to wait an hour for our rooms so a few of us went to find water.... but we got lost and walked in what seemed like circle for over an hour. We got to our room and passed out. Then Therese and I got up- walked to some drug stores to find a hair dryer. No such luck! Were we really going to have to air dry our hair tonight and tomorrow?!

Anyway, we took showers-- did I mention you have to HOLD down the button in the shower for water? The WHOLE time you are in there?! Sweet. You also have to use (the borrowed) hairdryer on low and NO straighteners? AHH! I look gross. So we ate dinner at the Fiap. It was ok- kinda confusing actually.

At dinner we all decided to go explore and get a look at the Eiffel Tower! We jumped on the metro and got off at the tower... absolutely beautiful. Tons of people were everywhere- at least 20 men trying to sell Eiffel Tower key chains, shoving them at us. Then we went to Notre-Dame. Everyone went back to the Fiap but Therese, Christen, Heath and I went to the Monoprix. (It's kind of like our WalMart.. but not really) After miles we found it-- closed! So we decided lets take the metro back. Heath steps on to see if it's the right one- signals us to come and guess what?! I got shut in the door. It hurt soo bad. They all three were pulling me and finally right at take off I was in. I screamed, it was dramatic, everyone was looking.... leave it to me!

Anyway, we made it back and I think I'm going to attempt shower number two. Lord, help me.
I almost forgot! On the way here this morning two French boys got on the metro with a cordless mic and a tambourine and played for us. I got pictures it was so cute. Then they asking for money, I got scared cause he wouldn't leave.. I had no money cause we had just got there. It was funny!
... then I found 10 euro! haha