Wednesday, April 17, 2013

2 Months, Spring, and a Stomach Virus

Monday the 15th marked two months until I go back to the U.S. I mean, how crazy is that? I'm pretty excited to go home, but I think that's mostly because I think going home will be a couple weeks of vacation then I can just pop back over here.

Unfortunately that's not how it works. I'll head back to Virginia on June 15th, spend of a couple of weeks at home, then go to Columbus for the rest of the summer and the start of the school year.

Here are the things I look forward to the most:
- Virginia, beautiful Virginia
- seeing my mom!
- Getting back to Columbus!!!
- Touring again
- My apartment with David!
- Senior year (how ridiculous does that sound?)

I still have two months though, and they're going to be pretty packed months. This weekend I head to Amsterdam with Meagan and Delaney (my Wednesday pub buddies), the following weekend is the start of my break! and I do 4 days in Italy - Rome and Venice - with Delaney, the weekend after is 4 days in Barcelona with housemate Kenzie! That already puts me mid way through May, and I'm also working on doing Berlin for a long weekend (we have a Monday holiday at the end of May). My brother Danny is coming to visit me the first weekend of June for 5 days and then I have one weekend left in Paris. Wow that hurts to write.

*Catch your breath here*

Spring finally showed up here in Paris! Kenzie and I did some park lounging close to the apartment. I tried to go to the Luxembourg Gardens but there were SOOOOOOO many people. I couldn't even handle it. It was way more fun to hang out around the local families. That is really the Paris I love.



Today it's actually 24 degrees C (high 70s-ish). Unfortunately I've had a stomach virus for the past couple of days so I'm confined to the apartment eating bites of rice and drinking powerade. Luckily for you, that means a blog post! Unluckily for me that means fluctuating temperature, chills, throwing up, and zero appetite. Woot woot. Also I may be editing pictures from the last...3 months or so. Trying to get a little ahead of myself before I do all this new traveling.

Alright I'm going to eat some more rice and crash in bed.
À toute!
Gabs


Thursday, April 4, 2013

J'aime plus Paris.

Yesterday in class we listened to a song by that title by a Parisien singer named Thomas Dutronc. It means "I don't like Paris anymore". Technically you're supposed to use the negation "ne...plus", but it's often left out in modern everyday language.

J'aime Plus Paris - Thomas Dutronc

So, along the same lines, I thought I would outline some of the things I don't like about this city.

- Le gris: So. Much. Gray. The sky is the gray; the trees are gray; the buildings are gray. Okay the last one is an exaggeration, but I really miss sun and green. I could really use a beach.

- Le metro: The metro smells like pee, and it's always packed with people. You always have be on top of your things, so you don't get pick-pocketed. It's exhausting.

- Dog shit: People don't clean up after their dogs. So the game plan is "eyes to the ground". I've only stepped in it once.

- Pigeons: Wow, I hate pigeons. They're gross and annoying and not afraid of anything. Ugh, also sometime they're gimpy (super not politically correct, but they're pigeons...) and they'll be missing a foot and walking around on a stump. Also TOURISTS LOVE THEM AND FEED THEM.

- Tourists: So many of them, and they walk so absurdly slowly. I have places to go and they take their time walking 4 across down on the tiny sidewalks. So I definitely turn into bitchy Parisienne and push past them, usually while glaring. Sorry that I have places to go and that you're being super inconsiderate. Don't even get me started on giant tour groups.


But J'aime plus Paris, also means "I love Paris more". And, ultimately, you can't help but love this city more and more.

A bientôt mes amis,
Gabs