In honor of being 10 days away from my departure, I am going to make a list of the top ten things I cannot wait to do in Paris. This is going to be hard because I cannot wait to do everything in Paris. But I will try to select my most anticipated activities.
10. Go to class! I know this statement may make you think that I am actually not writing this, because if you know me, you know I usually hate going to class! Mais the fact that I will be attending the University of Paris makes going a class a whole different ballgame. You can see the Eiffel Tower from the classrooms! And attending school there will make me feel like I really live there, instead of just feeling like I am on an extended vacation. I can't wait to take my homework to the lawn in front of the tour or a musee. And I cannot wait to take French classes again because I desperately want to leave France fluent en francais.
9. Move into l'apartement! I cannot wait to live in le Marais in a cute little French apartment! I will feel so French! I am hoping that we can befriend our neighbors and M. Durand, the little old French man that lives below us and watches the apartment for the owners. I think it will be so fun and amusant when something goes wrong- like the sink exploding, and Caroline and I do not know enough French to desrcibe our problem! And we will run around our apartement panicing and laughing. Yes, I am looking forward to the prospect of diaster! Only because it is French diaster!
8. Spend time in Montmatre. I did not get enough time in Montmatre the last time I was in Paris! Tre and I decided to hike up there on one of our last days when it was lethally hot and we were already exuasted. We had to stop for a baguette on the way up the enormous hill we were so tired! Sadly, when we arrived we only had a few momments before it started raining chats et chiens! Our parapluie blew inside out, so we were getting soaked. For the record - I wanted to stay! Tre, however, got very grumpy and insisted we return to the the hotel to nap. But the little of Montmatre I saw was adorable! The street artists, the open markets, and the Sacre Couer! If you love Amelie as much as I do, you want to spend time at the Sacre Couer. I plan to spend many a Saturday's there, and purchase some art for my Paris-themed room in Ohio!
7. Get immersed in the Culture. I do not want to simply study in France, I want to become French. (Even though I secretly believe I kind of already am.) I want to go to le cinema and see French films, I want to go to the Opera, and be in awe of the beauty of Paris ballet! I want to go hear concerts, read French books au jardin or au cafe while I people watch. I want to shop in petit boutiques and of course les gallaries lafayette! This also means speaking French all day everyday when I can! If I don't know the French word, I will pantomime what I mean! The only exception will be mon amie Caroline who speaks no French. I will have to converse with her en englais. But, I am going to try to abandon all my American mannerisms and truly become la blonde parisenne.
6. Hear Dad attempting to speak French. My dad took French in high school, 40 some years ago, and swears he has retained it! He knows three words/phases. They are, votre (your) comment t'allez-vous? (how are you?) and je parle francais (I speak French - though he should not use this phrase because he clearly does not). Everything aside from that, he just puts a French accent on the english word. Ex: go-er, eat-er, see-er. It is quite comical, and I am looking forward to hearing it. Though I will not be able to let it go on for too long because the French people he attempts to talk to will hate us for destroying their language!
5. Have a crepe on the Champs Elysee with mom and dad. There are several reasons why I cannot wait to do this. The obvious ones are of course - crepes and the Champs! But the not obvious part is the "with mom and dad" This will be so fun because my mom LOVES activity and people watching, which are the two words I would use to desribe the Champs. My dad will be fun because I will make him order the crepes! My first time ordering crepes, the crepe man looked at me and said "Mademoiselle, tu parle bien!" I was sublimely happy! I don't think the crepe man will say this to my Dad! I think instead he will say "Monsieur, tu ne peux parle Francais, pas de tout."
4. Visit Museums! I have to group them because there are too many that I want to visit again, it would take all my list up! I cannot wait to go to some I missed on my last visit. The Rodin Musuem, Picasso Musuem, Musee de la Mode, Centre Pompidou! And returning to the Musee D'Orsay is on the top of my list! I LOVE musuems. I could go to one a day and not get sick of it. So to have so many amazing musuems within a ten minute walk is magnifique!
3. Manger et promener! I say both of these together because if I manger without promener after, diaster will ensue! But seriously, a moment of silence for French food...... fresh, crispy baguettes; crayola-colored macaroons, savory duck confit, buttery escargot, amazing fromage of every type, flaky croissants et confiture, chessy croque monsieurs, and warm, melty, nutella crepes! All I can say is oh la laaa et Bon appetite!
2. Explore et Voyager! One of my favorite things to do in any city is simply go to an area I am not familiar with, and start walking! I usually bring a petit journale so that when I pass cute restaurants and shops that I want to go back to, I can write down the name and location. This has lead me to so many wonderful finds in nyc, and I know it will be just as fun in Paris! And I want to find "my" cafe, patisserie, and boulangerie. They will know me and my order after a month or so because I will be a regular! How amusant will that be!? I also cannot wait to voyage to the other parts of France! La Loire, Reims, Nice, Brittany, I want to see it all!
1. See the sparking Tour. (Especially with Joshua when he visits) Every night before the Eiffel Tower lights go off, they SPARKLE for a few minutes, and it is the most beautiful and amazing thing to
see the Tour sparkling above Paris! The night Tre and I discovered this, we were walking down the Rue de Montaigne, I was wooing over the Chloe store windows, and then we turned the corner and Volia! The tour was straight ahead and SPARKLING! We, of course, started running towards it and screaming "the tour is sparkling!!" It is one of my fondest memories of Paris with Tre, and I cannot wait see it again. And if I can add an honorary number that goes along with every one of my top dix, it is to have my friends and family for visits so I can share all the je sais qoui of Paris with them! I know the phrase is je ne sais qoui but that means "I don't know what" and I think it is totally wrong! It should be "je sais qoui - I know what"! Because saying that you don't know what is so fabulous about Paris is ridiclous! I do what is fabulous...Everything is fabulous! Alors my phrase makes much more sense!
But, to have family and friends visit in Paris would be so magnifique that I hope everyone will seriously consider visiting! And please don't use work or school as an excuse to not come because honestly - what is more important than visiting one of the most beautiful cities in the world....Carpe Diem!
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