I WANT TO MOVE TO PARIS

So it's Thursday and I'm frantically packing for Paris with a good 5 minutes to spare. I had to wake up early and get my pastel art homework done then I book it to my apartment, pack in ten minutes, then it's off to Firenze Santa Maria Novella and from there to the Pisa Aeroporto to then the Beauvais airport to then a 3 hour bus ride (thank you chaos night traffic while in Paris) to then finally being IN PARIS FRANCE!

So I took three years of French in high school, should have continued it in college but I didn't take it my senior year so I thought I'd be too rusty for Intermediate, then I found out it was a joke and regret wasting a year of learning Spanish (which I pretty much still at best know how to say the bathroom is on fire and I can't speak good Spanish). Needless to say, I have always been a huge fan of France, actually going there only made it that much more obvious to me that I am in love with France.

So after Alex freaking out a bit because we couldn't get in contact with Dev (our friend who we were staying with) we met up with him, took the metro back to his apartment in Vanves (right outside Paris), then metroed it back to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower at night and just as important, get some food.

I must have said this is not real life almost every hour in Paris. Dreams coming true. So on the metro (which btw Boston step your game up, Paris is owning in sick public transportation) heading to Paris and this man with an accordion comes on our car. I'm going into Paris with a French guy playing an accordian.... not real life moment. Then the three of us walk around, sit on the lawn illegally in front of the Eiffel Tower, get asked by a sketchy dude to buy some champagne (oh we'll get to the sketchy hawkers), watch the Tower sparkle on the hour then we walk around and eat at this restaurant that translated means the dome (whattup Duomo) and I can order in French! I loved being able to ask for directions and have a casual conversation or order in the country's actual language. Granted a few times they'd continue it and I wouldn't understand it all and have to talk in English, but still I knew how to be polite and speak French. So I ordered le steak-frites. It was bomb.

So as I'm casually eating in a Parisian restaurant the floor opens up besides us, a waiter puts a trash bin on it, and it just goes down below never to be seen again.... not real life.

(video won't load properly.... blogger fail)

Then we wake up bright and early to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower at 9:30. First in line thanks to the others that were staying in a hostel and got there even earlier. Did I mention the fact that I dislike heights and went almost a mile up off the ground? yeah... so worth it still. Go to the second floor, amazing views, a little bid cold weather. Then we head up to the top going straight up this less than pleasant elevator. We get to the top of the Eiffel Tower, not real life views.

Court and I are owning in our Titanic pose off against the Galway Girls.

I had a serious fear I was going to drop my camera and kill someone below...

Then Alex, Dev, and I go to get food since we didn't have time before the Tower. Walk around, stumble upon a Boulangerie... I could literally eat my weight in French baked goods. Pain au lait, croissants, pain au chocolat, eclairs, bread... Paris has forever ruined bread back in America, even the semi stale bread at the restaurants I ate at were still hell of a lot better than anything in Italy or America.




Walking around Paris, see the outside of Napolean's former digs, see the outside of the Louvre, see a lot of French flags (did I mention I love that too?), walk along la Seine, go to the Notre Dame and inside and around the outside gardens of it, go this this outdoor market festival, try a little free wine, go see the Arc de Triomphe and then climb to the top of it, see the best views of Paris on the top, get a la crepe sucre by the Eiffel Tower, chill by the Eiffel Tower at sunset, my camera dies (no surprise after 7 videos and 400 photos later), get attacked by the creepy hawkers of the stupid eiffel towers and flowers.... like we don't want your stupid crap stop harassing us especially when i just passed by two other persistent pricks I wasn't waiting til I got to you to waste a euro of your crap. Go the frig away and let me enjoy my breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower, back the f off.

la Siene River

oh hey there Louvre

Inside Notre Dame, not real life.

Outside Notre Dame... still not real life

Arc de Triomphe 

(can we just take a second to see how big Paris's streets are? Clearly Florence didn't get the memo)

Dying over seeing actual art I've learned in class

Spiral staircase of hundreds of stairs to climb the Arc de Triomphe? check

View from top of the Arc, I'm obsessed with the Eiffel Tower

Doing awkward selfies around the world. You really can only smile by famous monuments for so long

Sugar crepe by the Tower. I could eat those daily.

French metro >>>>>>> Boston

View from Metro. Priceless.

Orange coke? Had to buy it, it tasted like orange coke.... shocking?

I guess we're just going to continue to have jumping photos in front of European famous icons

self explanatory.

But even their annoyance couldn't ruin Paris for me, wasn't going to let it. I loved every single bit of it (with the one exception of my battle with their self cleaning public restrooms on the street.... none of them ever wanted to work with me).

Then we walked down some side streets and I ate probably one of the best meals I have ever eaten in my entire life. I ordered le poulet that was cooked in lemon sauce and then had a side of le riz. Chicken, lemon, and rice? Only three of my favorite foods of all time combined and cooked in the best manner. Oh and there was bread too. Our waiter had his hair spray painted blue, white, and red, and had the french flag face painted all over, celebrating rugby I think, but it was hilarious and I'm in love with French food. Sorry I'm not sorry Italy, France wins in that department... bread alone France owns.

Crepe for breakfast? check. 3 croissants, 4 pain au chocolats and and orangina too? check. I literally did not want to leave Paris, I could see myself living there honestly. For the worlds most visited city, it's so quaint and beautiful. The streets are so wide and giant sidewalks and people are running in the perfectly 60 degree sweatshirt weather. The architecture is a mix of French modern with classic old French beauty. French people are super kind, stereotypes my ass, as long as you are pleasant and respectful they love Americans. Considering there's a ton of statues of American heroes and places named after famous Americans you would never guess its a place where "snooty French" live. J'aime les Francais. J'adore the language. I could walk around for hours listening to the French speak.

All in all, I love France and definitely did not get enough time there. I want to go back.

TO BE CONTINUED: 

France to Italy in 12 hours: Abroad travel like you're on the Amazing Race

Here's a preview:

ABROAD SONG OF THE WEEK

so I'm too lazy to currently write my epic adventure to Paris this past weekend and the amazing race style hell travel day getting back from Paris on saturday, so I've decided to institute abroad song of the week. I constantly need new music, I have music ADD and although I can listen to my favorite artists, I need new beats to keep me sane.

This week is All Fired Up by The Saturdays.

They're a all girl band (judge away, until you listen to the song) from the U.K. that have been out awhile and their stuff has been aight, but this is on fire. Get at it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdtIfp7WB0w

CHRONICLES OF IS THIS REAL LIFE??

This morning had my art history class at an ancient church that outside had a whole view of the city of Florence. Total this is not real life moment. My professor is the cute quirky woman who is a bit awkward but totally hilarious. On the bus over she was talking to me pointing out how I'm the only boy in the class, but that was good cause girls are nicer. Also, when in the church learning about how the sun relates to a ton of building and planning of the church, she said, "Touch it! Touch Everything!". Too funny to be in the pristine church and my professor is all touch the marble! Also, she pretty much told me to ride on the bus back illegally not punching my card because you're allowed 90 minutes after you punch it, and it was a 10 minute difference so she was like... just don't. Love it.

PHOTOS FROM LUCCA

So far Lucca has been my favorite spot in Italy. Of course my camera died 10 minutes into being in Lucca so I couldn't show my perspective on the beautiful city, but here's some stolen photos. Credit To Kat.

casual trolly ride? check

beautiful views of the Arno River? check

beautiful weather for a bike tour? check

Me struggling with the bike a bit? check

Oh you're seeing the Maine at Stonehill for welcome back weekend? I'm seeing a full orchestra play in the middle of a old Roman amphitheater. Perspective.

Casual fair happening? check

Casually crossing paths with the fair's parade? check

People from Lucca don't give a crap, they parade with drums and get their respect.

Then we went to the roof of a tower in the center. MOST BEAUTIFUL VIEWS I'VE EVER SEEN.

Titanic pose? check

casual artsy sunglass reflective photo? check

Pretty much over all loved Lucca. Great day in Italy.

Okay so I was a bit dramatic with the last post, it comes with the territory of being me. Sorry I'm not sorry.

Right after that class yesterday I had my Business Psychology class, one that I think is going to be hard but I'm absolutely loving the class. My professor is very engaging, I found myself being silent the whole class not because I was bored but because I was seriously paying attention. We were learning about human relations and something called Emotional Intelligence and how there are other factors that create a persons identity in work and in life aside from IQ. Beyond relatable to my life right now. I need to take responsibility for my actions, I cannot control or try to change another person they have to see it within themselves to find a change, but I can control how I react to that person/situations. It was a complete 180 from my horrid morning.

Then I had Italian with Daniele, who is still ridiculous, but I don't hate it.

Then went back to my friends apartment on San Gallo, made myself burgers (yeah they didnt have any chicken, so I made burgers without bread or ketchup, it was still bomb) and peas and I ate 2 lemons. Now if you have know me you might know one of my million little subtleties is that I eat lemons like oranges. I will peal the skin off and eat the lemon, pulp and all, like an orange. I have a high tolerance for sour, I love the taste. I was in need for some familiarity, so lemons it was.

Then as San Gallo's unofficial 7th member, I stayed over their apartment to get a long good night's sleep since I don't have class 'til 6 on Tuesdays.

Also, this whole 6 hour time difference is becoming a major issue with my classes / people's working times / me traveling on the weekends.

TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS

I'm sitting eating a croissant on my quick lunch break from my 5 hour graphic design class feeling utterly incompetent. For starters wasn't informed that I would need photoshop etc on my laptop for this class and it's not in a lab, just a graphics classroom. Granted the professor is trying to find a way to get it to us without buying it, but this is just another expense I can't afford. There is this girl from Turkey in my class who I completely envy. She has her shit together pretty much and she was trying to help me get photoshop through a decoder and the internet in my school's building sucks. I look at the window and it's a there's an ancient church attached to this building so.... whats an American to do for some good internet abroad. It doesnt work but she's kind enough to let me borrow her computer and work on it, I don't have a mouse. I didn't think I would need one so I didn't bring it, yay another stupid expense. After working on my project (which is creating a personal logo) I just do not have a lot of skills with the Adobe programs, or at least not enough I wish to have in an intermediate Graphic Design class. She helps me finish it, but I cannot help but feel defeated. I'm already stressed on my own accord abroad, but it's looking like my classes are going to challenge me that much more.

And it doesn't help I constantly end up living in places that have paper thin walls and surrounded by people who do not understand the concept of volume during the very late night, and I'm a heavy sleeper so to be woken up so monotonously..... clearly I did not wake up on the right side of the Arno today.

I'm not homesick per say, but I sure as hell don't want to be in Florence right now. Ready for these first brutal weeks of culture shock to be over so I don't feel regretful for studying abroad.

TRIP TO PISA AND LUCCA

A fantastic Italian day I needed.

Woke up early and booked it across Florence to get to my program's bus for our day trip to Pisa/Lucca. Pisa is only an hour bus ride away from Florence so it was nice to just sit, take in scenery as we drive past, even a quick power nap, and just relax. We arrive in Pisa and the parking lot close to the Leaning Tower and foriegn scalpars swarm us. Seriously, like I want Ray Bans as much as the next American, but I don't care if it's only 5 euros get the frig out my face I'm not naive. Take no for an answer and back the fuck away from us.

Rant aside, walking tour of Pisa (aka the Leaning Tower and the road leading to it) ... Now this was a boring tour. I'm all for learning this different culture but that was 2 hours wasted that the only thing that stuck with me is that they used liquid nitrogen on the ground around the tower to help suppourt it.... whoo, Pisa got me one fun fact... Yeah I could have spent 2 hours taking ridiculous touristy photos in front of the Tower, but still got to do that for a half hour.

Then we got to have lunch in a private garden in a restaurant right down the street from the Tower. Total not real life situation. Had lasagna, roasted chicken and we were told potatoes but then french fries appeared and I was in heaven, then a frothy kind of gelato. So good.

Then we took a trolly (yeah no joke a trolly) back to the parking lot to bus it over a half an hour to Lucca. Lucca is now one of my favorite places I have ever visited. I loved Lucca. We took a bike tour of the city (with the same boring tour guide but this time she barely talked so it was good). The city still has its ancient city walls set up but they are so big that you can bike along to top of it so we biked the 2ish miles around the city on the wall and it was perfect. Exactly what I needed, a little endorphins from biking, perfect sunny/windy weather, getting to see the beautiful Italian countryside with mountains and building cityscape included, and just got to take the city in. My camera died 5 seconds into the bike tour so I think that helped me really appreciate Lucca. (Expect an update with my friends photos I already told them I'd steal because Lucca was that good). Then we walked around in the city and with our free time went to this tower/church building that was in the center of the city that has a roof top garden that you can see from everywhere in the city. So we spent 2.50 euro (cheap and WELL worth it) to go the top and that was the most relaxing and beautiful. I got to see the entire city 360 degrees around and I could have spent hours up there. These are the type of adventures I came to Italy for.