What's Happening?

“Still round the corner there may wait, a new road or a secret gate.”

– J.R.R. Tolkien

As a member of the WSU Cougs Abroad Blog Squad, for one entry I am asked to choose a picture and explain why it best describes my experience in-country to date. After getting settled and having finished my first week of classes, I’ve come to find that one of the things I love most about Paris is the metro. My study abroad program includes a free metro pass. At first I felt a little intimidated, but with my Navigo pass in my hand and my Paris pocket map in my purse, I am now confident and happy to have this option to quickly move about the city. 

The first line of the Paris metro was built in 1900 and today there are fourteen lines connecting the 20 different arrondissements (districts) of the city and five RER train lines that connect Paris to its suburbs. With 384 metro stops throughout Paris, every point in the city is conveniently located near a metro station. There’s no reason to ever feel worried about getting lost in Paris because no matter where you are, you are close to a metro stop. One of my goals is to know the system like the back of my hand, navigating my route with ease, with little dependence on my map.

Paris is a city with SO much to see; there is a story waiting around practically every corner. I see the metro as my key to the city. Having a public transportation system that is so accessible is an incredible motivation to get out and explore. I am on a mission to see all that I can during my short time here in Paris, and the metro is essential to accomplishing my goal. All I need to do now is hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

Paris Walkabout

“How can a nation be called great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?”

 – Julia Child on American food

One year for Christmas I received a large deck of cards, City Walks of Paris: 50 Adventures on Foot.  Each card maps out a walking tour of one section of Paris, with a summary of the attractions along the route. The walks all begin and end near a metro stop, which will be a very convenient way to explore this city. Yesterday after class, a few of my friends and I decided to take a walk through the St. Germain des Pres area, very close to our school.

We stopped at Poilâne, one of the city’s most famous bakeries. Their bread has a distinctive flavor, containing mostly grey flour (not quite whole wheat flour, with not all of the wheat bran retained). Poilâne is one of the most famous names in the baking industry, shipping bread worldwide every day. I bought a chausson aux pommes, which is similar to an apple turnover. It was delicious!

After we satisfied our stomachs, we continued our tour to Le Bon Marché, the first department store in the world. We spent some time here looking around like little kids in a candy shop. It was window shopping heaven. We saw clothes by designers like Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, and Chanel, and beautiful shoes by Prada, Jimmy Choo, and Balenciaga. Even though everything was WAY out of my price range, it was fun to see how a wealthy Parisian shops. Having successfully completed my first self-guided walking tour, I am eager to see what I will discover on my next Paris adventure!

Château de Versailles

“Vanity made the [French] Revolution; liberty was only a pretext.”

— Napoleon Bonaparte





On Sunday we went on our first planned excursion, to the Château de Versailles. We learned about how Versailles was home to three Kings Louis and three Maries: Louis XIV with his wife Marie-Thérèse, Louis XV with Marie Leszczyńska, and finally, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Versailles is only twelve miles away from Paris and was the center of political power in France from 1682 to the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789.

Before coming to France, I read The Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland. This story follows the life of Louise de la Vallière, the mistress of the Sun King, Louis XIV. Gulland’s novel illustrates what life was like in the French court during the reign of Louis XIV. It also follows the development of Versailles from a mere hunting lodge to the center of the French government. Louis XIV moved his court to Versailles to give him more control of the government and to distance himself from Paris. By requiring his nobles to spend some time in Versailles each year, Louis prevented them from being able to establish any regional power to counter his own.

 After watching movies and reading books about the history of France, it was SO exciting to actually be there, standing in Marie Antoinette’s bedroom, seeing the tapestries, paintings, all the gold, the chandeliers, the HUGE palace and HUGE gardens. It is almost unbelievable that people could live like that. The anger and bitterness of the poor citizens who started the French Revolution is much more understandable after a visit to Versailles.  

Art & Montmartre

“I am not an adventurer by choice but by fate.”—Vincent van Gogh

My orientation week has been amazing so far. During this week we are seeing some of the greatest sites in Paris. Last night we went to the Louvre and stood in front of the Mona Lisa; today I traveled up the Eiffel Tower and toured the Musée d’Orsay, a museum best known for its collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces. Tomorrow we will be making our way to Versailles to see the pride and joy of the “Sun King” Louis XIV. What a week!

Pierre-Auguste Renoir 1876 

 A couple of nights ago we took a walking tour of the quaint Parisian neighborhood of Montmartre.   In the 19^th century Montmartre was still outside of the city limits of Paris, and free from Paris taxes. This attracted many people to the area who wanted to drink and have fun for a cheaper price than in the rest of Paris. Montmartre has been home to artists and musicians for years, including Dali, Monet, Picasso, Renoir, and Van Gogh. When I was walking the hills of this bohemian neighborhood I felt like I was in a village far away from the hustle and bustle of Paris.

Our tour ended with dinner at a crêperie. Crêpes are a very common street food in France, and an affordable option for a quick meal. We were told that one should never pay more than 3€ for a banana and Nutella crêpe, a popular choice. That night I had a savory crêpe filled with potatoes, smoked ham, cheese, and onions, and  my favorite dessert crêpe with strawberry jam. It was great to have the chance to experience the place that so many famous French artists have called "home." Monmartre is one of my favorite parts of Paris.

Here is a link to Julia Child's recipe for crêpes. http://gratineeblog.com/2010/01/julia-childs-master-crepe-recipe/

Paris, My Valentine

“Il n'est rien de réel que le rêve et l'amour.”  
Nothing is real but dreams and love. — Anna de Noailles

I’ve not even been in Paris for a week, yet I feel like so much has happened already. When I first arrived, I couldn’t fully comprehend the fact that I'm not simply vacationing here, but that I’m LIVING here! Now, after moving into my dorm, making some friends, navigating the metro, seeing my university, and finally getting over my jet-lag, I’m starting to realize what a life-changing experience I am embarking on.

After arriving in the morning on the first day, we had some free time before our first orientation session. To get used to Paris time, I did not take a nap and instead went out to explore the city with some other students that I met that morning at the airport. During our walk we came upon le Pont au Double, a pedestrian bridge that connects L’Ile de la Cite with the Left Bank. This bridge is not only a destination for people looking for a great picture of Notre Dame, but it is also the destination for couples looking to declare their love.

In Paris it is a tradition for lovers to come to a bridge like le Pont au Double, to attach a lock to the bridge, and to throw the key into la Seine River as a symbol of their eternal love for each other. This tradition is adored by many and the city officials received a lot of criticism in May of 2010 when they removed the locks from another bridge, the Pont des Arts, but that hasn’t stopped lovers from coming to the beautiful Seine to affirm their love. Discovering this bridge on Valentine’s Day was fun and I could feel the love in the air. I plan on coming back here at the end of my journey to declare my eternal love for Paris, the “City of Love.”  

What to Expect… Perhaps the Unexpected?

"Be fanatically positive and militantly optimistic. If something is not to your liking, change your liking." — Rick Steves

For as long as I can remember, I have been watching Rick Steves travel through Europe on TV. When I learned that I would be studying abroad in Europe, I began to read everything I could get my hands on about France, and Europe in general. Historical novels, travel books, maps, planners.....I was obsessed! One of the most informative days was attending a 2-hour talk on travel through France at the Rick Steves Travel Store in Edmonds, WA. This free lecture was so helpful in answering questions, and got me thinking about what my goals and expectations for my semester abroad would be.

I am expecting to feel out of place at first, until I get into a routine. I hope to polish my French, but I realize that I probably won't become completely fluent. I'm looking forward to making memories with new friends. I'll need to adjust to the differences of the French University system. One of my goals is to travel to many places and to take thousands of pictures! I'm looking forward to adventures with stinky cheeses and French wines. I expect to feel disappointed at some point, and to make a fool of myself many times. Overall, I hope that not only will I learn a lot about France from the French people, but that they will also learn something about America from me.

In Rick Steves' book, Travel as a Political Act, he talks about how travel connects people with people. He explains how to "travel more thoughtfully," and how travel helps to shape your world view. America is a nation of immigrants, a country based on the power of diversity, so it should come naturally to us to celebrate new ideas we discover when we travel. Rick constantly reminds us that it is possible to be proud to be an American, but realize that other nations have some pretty good ideas too. Okay Paris....ready, set, here I come.