2010 Adventures

Reflecting on my year of 2010 and the photo highlights from it.

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My Sunday in Paris

My friends and I went to Hotel de Ville to go ice skating. After standing in line forever and watching everyone else skating, I decided I would just watch and take pictures. I didn't plan ahead very well and was wearing a dress and didn't want to be the girl falling on her ass in a dress.

Gliding along. music in the air

Carousel, crepes and cotton candy

Water color sky and twinkling lights

Shadows and blurs 

The cheerleaders on the sideline

Notre Dame

River. Tree. Church.

Filling our bellies and thawing our toes.

Christmas in Ireland

When it comes to travelling abroad alone, I seem to have the utmost of adventures. I was scheduled to leave for Dublin Dec. 23rd and the night before there was a snowstorm in Paris. I tossed and turned all night, worrying whether or not my flight would be cancelled and after just 4 hours of sleep I got up and headed to the airport. I arrived at the Beauvais aeroport by 7:15 and spent the next two hours waiting in lines. My flight was scheduled to depart at 9:25 but of course they didn't even start boarding passengers until nearly 10:00. After I finally made it on the plane, I began to relax and fell into a nice slumber only to be woken up by the flight attendant announcing that there was too much snow at the Dublin airport and we'd need to land in Cork instead. They told everyone that there would be buses waiting to take us to the Dublin airport and that it'd only take 3 hours. With no phone or internet, I had no way of letting my friend know that I would be arriving much later and on a bus none-the-less. Thankfully the woman I sat next to on the bus let me borrow her phone and I called Sinead's mom to tell her I was on my way. The "3 hour" bus ride turned out to be a 5 1/2 hour ride but it didn't matter when I finally got to meet up with Sinead at the arrivals gate. We found the bus to take to her town, which normally is around an hour trip but because of the snow it ended up taking 3 1/2 hours. Needless to say by the time we made it to her house, we were both exhausted. 

It was freezing, the rolling hills blanketed in white and the narrow streets barely drivable. The first few days were spent inside in effort to keep warm. Christmas was unlike any other I'd celebrated. I attended my first (and last) Catholic mass where we sang "Happy Birthday dear Jesus" and I couldn't help but laugh. I sat quietly and observed the service, surprised by the amount of standing up and sitting down that is done along with all the praying. Afterwards, like true Irish Catholics, the families got together and began drinking at noon. There was something wrong if you didn't have a glass in your hand and a buzz on the way. That evening was Christmas dinner with Sinead and her family which reminded me of home. There was turkey, mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, brussel sprouts and beef. Great food. Great company. After dinner, everyone went to Gaga's (Sinead's grandpa's) and drank some more and sang and danced. The most memorable Christmas in my life and I'm grateful I had the experience to share it with such fun people.

The following days were blessed with rain, which helped melt all the snow. As the white disappeared, green took its place and it looked like all the pictures I'd seen. It's a beautiful country and I look forward to going back and discovering more.

Halloween

Like most Americans, I'm a huge fan of Halloween and will celebrate it whether I'm in America or not. So this year after a suggestion from a friend and some costume shopping by my dear mom, the package was mailed from the states. It took a little cutting here and altering there but the costume turned out quite nice. I was ready to be one of my favorite fellow Geminis, Marilyn Monroe.

Once the fake eyelashes had set and last makeup touches applied, my friends and I headed to The Thistle Pub in Paris where a friend of mine works. We had just missed the Halloween themed pub quiz but made it in time for the costume contest. They had everyone who dressed up walk behind the bar and strut their stuff and whoever got the loudest cheers won. I was a little embarrased to do it but when everyone cheered and I was named the winner, I have to admit I was pretty stoked!
So while I may have been hit on by more guys than I could count, including a very old man.. and gawked at by the french as we walked down the street.. It was worth it because it turned out to be a fabulous and memorable Halloween in Paris.

Paris avec mes amies

Sunday was a full day in Paris. We started off at the Port de Clignancourt flea market (the largest antiques market in the world) where I spent too much money. But it was all justifiable - shoes, a second hand dress and gloves... things every girl needs. Afterwards we went to St Michel and enjoyed some hot chocolate at a cafe and soaked up the heat from the space heater. After we had all finished our drinks and eaten our snacks, we braved the cold and headed to l'Arc de Triomphe. We climbed the 284 steps to get to the top and enjoyed the beautiful view of Paris and la tour eiffel.

Once we were sufficiently chilled to the bone we headed back down the steps and walked around the Champs Elysees then hopped on the metro and headed to the cinema. The Social Network was playing in English (french subtitles) and was only 4.20 euros. I enjoyed the film and found it interesting how facebook came about. What's so crazy is that a website that took two weeks for a harvard student to create has completely altered our generation. Everyone and their mom's are on it. (Literally, both my parents are!) It's become such a crucial way of staying connected with so many people. You can meet once and exchange names and the next day you'll be facebook friends. It's pretty ridiculous how much a social network rules people lives. I know many people who are addicted to it, myself included.
Anyway, after the film we walked back to the metro and headed home to L'Etang la Ville. It was the first time I'd actually taken the train home with someone and it was a lot more enjoyable having friends to talk to the whole time. Plus it felt a lot safer to not be travelling alone late at night.
Two weeks ago when I went for a jog in the Forêt de Marly, I determined that I watch entirely too much Dexter. As I was jogging through the forest I kept thinking that I was going to find a dead body or that someone was going to try to abduct me. Then this last Friday my paranoia became justified. Some people out picking mushrooms discovered a young woman's body in the same forest. The news report said her hands were tied behind her back and she had been stabbed and that the body hadn't been there for long. This is the second type of murder that's happened in the parisien area lately. While I'm not going to let fear rule my life now, I will defintely be more careful and avoid going anywhere alone at night. No point in taking risks that need not be taken.

Patience is a virtue which I lack.

For those who know me well, you know that patient is a word not used in my vocabulary unless it's preceded by "im". 
Learning a language is proving to be the ultimate test in my patience, or lack thereof... 
I read my textbooks, I watch tv and listen to the news reporter discussing issues in a language I'm yet to understand. At night as I lay in bed, I try to put sentences together and later have nightmares that I'm trying to talk in French and have no idea how to even introduce myself. Later, I wake up and feel relieved when I realize all I need to say is, "Je m'appelle Bree." 
People keep telling me that one day it will click and I keep holding my breath for that day to come. I realize I've only studied it for 4 months and I've only been back in France for a month and a half. Regardless, I long for the day when I can hold my end of a conversation in French! I feel as if my brain is just too literal and I keep trying to translate things word for word when that's literally impossible! 
For example, in French they say, "ça va?" which means "How's it going?" but if you translated it directly it'd be "that goes". It's just the little things like that, that make such a difference.
I really feel that when I'm able to argue in French, I will know the language. Thus, I've made it my goal to get into an argument before I leave France. A French friend of mine has agreed to this argument and has given me the deadline of my birthday = seven months. So it begins. I need to work on speaking it more and trying to improve my vocabulary daily. If anyone has any tips or suggestions to help me along the cobblestone path, I'd be more than happy to hear them!

Thursdays aka "Valerian day"

While the older kids are in school and Nathalie takes the day to run errands, Valerian and I hang out. Today the weather was cloudy but decent so I decided it was perfect weather for a stroll through L'Etang la Ville. Valerian has begun to speak both English and French but mostly he just talks gibberish. As I pushed the stroller along the narrow streets, he would point and say, "cwah" (car) after each vehicle passed by. When there were no cars, he'd sing his own little song or repeatedly say "Bwee" and giggle each time I said, "What?" It made for an entertaining morning and a good workout as I pushed the stroller up the steep streets. I think this will be our new Thursday tradition as long as the weather permits.

Just down my street

In the Center of town

The way to St Germain en-laye

Little Valerian

Home Sweet Home