 |
| Saint Sulpice church - 2 minute walk from school. Delacroix. |
 |
| Chapel of the Angels, where 3 Delacroix paintings are displayed. |
 |
| the fountain outside the church |
 |
| just my luck |
22 September 2011
l'avant veille
18 September 2011
dimanche
I don't think I ever simply pass an hour by in the States. I always have to feel productive. People don't make excuses for taking leisure time here. I absolutely love it. The phrase lazy Sunday must have originated in Europe. I thought that once I was here I'd be doing a lot less busywork/homework and a lot more chilling at cafes and drinking cappucinos (ie hot chocolates)...I was right. Not once have I been pressed for a deadline, but instead I have to keep up with readings for each class as and when I want.
The only vaguely stressful things on the horizon are the oral exams and the dissertations that are scattered throughout the semester. Each person in a class is assigned a class day to present their expose (oral). My first once is a little over a week away and the topic is UNFICYP (UN peacekeeping operation in Cyprus). That shouldn't be too hard...except UNFICYP is the operation that my professor was involved in so my research has got to be airtight. Wahoo. I'm great at making life-decisions. Why couldn't I just choose something really obscure and make some vague but intelligent theoretical analyses and get a 20/20? Whatever.
However, today I woke up at 12. I contemplated cleaning my room. I ate mango ice cream. I went to a diner (yes, the American diner - it's called Breakfast In America) and got pancakes. I figure since I'm here for the year I shouldn't feel guilty about indulging in a few diner trips here and there. Reminded me of Johnny's back in Boston.
Probably going to go eat some bread and Camembert, contemplate possibly doing some reading, fold my clothes, and take a pre-bedtime nap. My life is so stressful.
The only vaguely stressful things on the horizon are the oral exams and the dissertations that are scattered throughout the semester. Each person in a class is assigned a class day to present their expose (oral). My first once is a little over a week away and the topic is UNFICYP (UN peacekeeping operation in Cyprus). That shouldn't be too hard...except UNFICYP is the operation that my professor was involved in so my research has got to be airtight. Wahoo. I'm great at making life-decisions. Why couldn't I just choose something really obscure and make some vague but intelligent theoretical analyses and get a 20/20? Whatever.
However, today I woke up at 12. I contemplated cleaning my room. I ate mango ice cream. I went to a diner (yes, the American diner - it's called Breakfast In America) and got pancakes. I figure since I'm here for the year I shouldn't feel guilty about indulging in a few diner trips here and there. Reminded me of Johnny's back in Boston.
Probably going to go eat some bread and Camembert, contemplate possibly doing some reading, fold my clothes, and take a pre-bedtime nap. My life is so stressful.
17 September 2011
busy busy busy
Well it's been awhile. I finally got my routine down and I don't feel entirely out of place navigating the metro. And I have homework. However I'm going to meet some friends for le diner ensemble and I've only got time to share some photo gems with you. Ok they're not gems at all, but I was at a cafe yesterday and I kept seeing ladies on bikes with heels so now every time I see that I'm taking a picture and posting it on here.
 |
| Saint Germain church down the street from my school. |
11 September 2011
10 years ago
At about this time I was on a school bus heading home from a ropes course field trip with my 5th grade class. Spent the rest of the day watching the news with my mom. Now I'm a decade older, sitting in a room overlooking a quiet Parisian street watching youtube news. Overheard a couple talking about "le onze septembre" on the metro yesterday.
07 September 2011
chocolate gorilla
Went shopping today. Held out long enough. On rue de Rivoli there are a bunch of normal people shops - Zara, H&M blah blah. The patisseries and chocolateries here literally have the most creative and delicious looking store windows you could imagine and I went into about 5 and got just one thing at each place. I'm pretty sure I could have done without the lemongrass and peppermint chocolate but the store window had a life-size gorilla...made out of chocolate...so I was morally obligated to go in.
My host fam is incredible - the kids are brilliant and I get to talk to them in French all day long. It gets progressively easier. I also don't absolutely hate the guinea pig now. It's just a mild dislike. Everything is different here. On the surface it just seems like another big Western city but when you have to live here you realize the little things that are bizarre (for me). To buy a fruit or veggies in the Monoprix you have to have someone weigh it and put a little sticker on it. The post office (La Poste) is also a bank and also sells phones. To mail things, you weigh them yourself by a little kisok and print out a stamp (I think you can mail stuff domestically with normal stamps though...). So many little things to get used to - the Velib, riding in traffic...people who say Boston is the most bike unfriendly city in the world don't realize how good they have it. Paris is friendly towards bikers...but only those with guts of steel. Today I was riding in a little bubble between two busses, dump-truck, and 3 cars...pretty sure there weren't any lanes...and I was trying to read my map (really need to get GPS) and balance while not dying. I'm alive.
Yeah so I've got a truckload of pictures to share. Feast your eyes. I've got to read about the institutions of the EU...probably going to end up drinking a hot chocolate at a cafe and finishing Harry Potter #3 though. Really really need to deposit money in my new french bank account. And then use that money to buy a new french smartphone so I can text my new international friends and look at the french metro app instead of a big touristy map.
The staplers are cooler looking here. Haven't yet figured out the hole-puncher. Don't hold your breath.
My host fam is incredible - the kids are brilliant and I get to talk to them in French all day long. It gets progressively easier. I also don't absolutely hate the guinea pig now. It's just a mild dislike. Everything is different here. On the surface it just seems like another big Western city but when you have to live here you realize the little things that are bizarre (for me). To buy a fruit or veggies in the Monoprix you have to have someone weigh it and put a little sticker on it. The post office (La Poste) is also a bank and also sells phones. To mail things, you weigh them yourself by a little kisok and print out a stamp (I think you can mail stuff domestically with normal stamps though...). So many little things to get used to - the Velib, riding in traffic...people who say Boston is the most bike unfriendly city in the world don't realize how good they have it. Paris is friendly towards bikers...but only those with guts of steel. Today I was riding in a little bubble between two busses, dump-truck, and 3 cars...pretty sure there weren't any lanes...and I was trying to read my map (really need to get GPS) and balance while not dying. I'm alive.
Yeah so I've got a truckload of pictures to share. Feast your eyes. I've got to read about the institutions of the EU...probably going to end up drinking a hot chocolate at a cafe and finishing Harry Potter #3 though. Really really need to deposit money in my new french bank account. And then use that money to buy a new french smartphone so I can text my new international friends and look at the french metro app instead of a big touristy map.
 |
| aforementioned giant mojito |
 |
| street art |
 |
| sorbet/gelato/ice cream |
 |
| if you ask for a cone, it comes out looking like this... |
 |
| macarons that i can afford to photograph...not buy |
 |
| Russian dolls - of France |
 |
| Russian dolls - US presidents |
 |
| macarons |
 |
| chocolate gorilla |
The staplers are cooler looking here. Haven't yet figured out the hole-puncher. Don't hold your breath.
05 September 2011
giant mojito
Yesterday was the Sciences Po day of integration and then pub-crawl around/through Bastille. I didn't meet my buddy (french student assigned to be my friend...poor kid) since the thing was so disorganized. However I did manage to skip out early and go eat a crepe...
Then I got to Bastille and found a gelato/coffee place to chill while waiting for everybody else. There was a Floridian who was so "American tourister" I really couldn't handle it. No effort to speak French whatsoever. He just spoke English with the barista and expected things to work like back home and got frustrated when the barista had a hard time understanding him. I had a hard time understanding him too since he wanted to know exactly which of the 30 or so flavors were yogurt, which were gelato, which were sorbet, etc. There's a sign, genius. He sat next to me and I asked him if he'd ever thought about getting a phrase-book.
The pub-crawl was quite entertaining and there was an 89€ giant mojito involved. I paid 5€ for a coke. It was great. Best coke I've ever drunk in my life. Really.
A few days ago we toured around the Marais - we walked over a bridge near the Notre Dame and there were a bunch of keys locked onto it. If you write the name of you and your lovah then you'll stay together forever, I think is the general idea. But then I saw this...
Then I got to Bastille and found a gelato/coffee place to chill while waiting for everybody else. There was a Floridian who was so "American tourister" I really couldn't handle it. No effort to speak French whatsoever. He just spoke English with the barista and expected things to work like back home and got frustrated when the barista had a hard time understanding him. I had a hard time understanding him too since he wanted to know exactly which of the 30 or so flavors were yogurt, which were gelato, which were sorbet, etc. There's a sign, genius. He sat next to me and I asked him if he'd ever thought about getting a phrase-book.
The pub-crawl was quite entertaining and there was an 89€ giant mojito involved. I paid 5€ for a coke. It was great. Best coke I've ever drunk in my life. Really.
A few days ago we toured around the Marais - we walked over a bridge near the Notre Dame and there were a bunch of keys locked onto it. If you write the name of you and your lovah then you'll stay together forever, I think is the general idea. But then I saw this...
 |
| China & Germany. |
Let's see. We went on a boat cruise of the Seine, got rained on but still saw some awesome monuments. Had a family-style dinner with lots of cheese, bread, wine, and the best hummus I've ever eaten. OH YEAH also went to supposedly the best falafel place in the world. It was quite spectacular. Now I'm hungry again writing about it. So many other awesome things happened but I'm in the mood for a run so I'll update later maybe. Ran past a prison yesterday. It was pretty creepy. I ran fast. Probs gonna go the other direction today.
 |
| Stalls along the Seine - books, postcards from 1930s Paris, paintings. |
30 August 2011
picture of the day
 |
| biked down a random street and saw this |
french coke
French coke is more sugary than American coke. Not quite sure if I'm making that up or not...also I've never eaten so many croissants or baguettes with cheese in my life and I couldn't be happier. Today we lounged around the luxembourg gardens for lunch and watched three idiots drinking 2 6-packs of Desperados (beer flavored with tequila). Also met some kid who proceeded to inform me that the American portion size is 2 or 3 10" pizzas and the european portion size is 1/4 of a 10" pizza (plus cigarette)...I was like...um, no. When I mentioned studying economics, he proceeded to ask me who my favorite economist was and was I a Greenspan or a Bernanke. I kindly informed him I wasn't about to waste my breath on a meaningless economic/political debate with someone who doesn't actually listen but just spews whatever random facts he knows and expects to be considered knowledgeable. Then I read some Hemingway and pretended he wasn't there.
Also the dude who handed us the 4 mini-pizza boxes said to me that he wouldn't give me the boxes. "Here in France the women are not trusted with things, it is always the men. You will learn this in a few months". Instead of punching the idiot and being deported or whatever, I contented myself with a withering stare.
Also, my host dad is an incredible baker...and he's a jazz guitarist. One of the 7 best in the world. He was invited to the white house to play for the Clintons, but it was in 1995 and he said that Bill wasn't there because he was probably with Monica Lewinsky somewhere.
The guinea pig is squeaking. I didn't realize guinea pigs could squeak until I got here. How do you say ear-plugs in French? It's also really cold here. Probably should have left some of the summer dresses and brought a jacket instead...nbd
Also the dude who handed us the 4 mini-pizza boxes said to me that he wouldn't give me the boxes. "Here in France the women are not trusted with things, it is always the men. You will learn this in a few months". Instead of punching the idiot and being deported or whatever, I contented myself with a withering stare.
Also, my host dad is an incredible baker...and he's a jazz guitarist. One of the 7 best in the world. He was invited to the white house to play for the Clintons, but it was in 1995 and he said that Bill wasn't there because he was probably with Monica Lewinsky somewhere.
The guinea pig is squeaking. I didn't realize guinea pigs could squeak until I got here. How do you say ear-plugs in French? It's also really cold here. Probably should have left some of the summer dresses and brought a jacket instead...nbd
28 August 2011
26 August 2011
orientations
Orientations have begun. I honestly didn't realize this school was such a huge deal until I got here. My host parents asked me where I'd be studying and I told them and their eyes got all huge and awed...which makes me exceedingly nervous considering I didn't actually have to be accepted here, I just had to fill out the BC form saying where I wanted to go. Considering I was more or less like "yeah whatever I'll go to Paris for the year..." I didn't realize I'd be at a political-genius minting factory. Goodbye decent GPA.
There is an entire weeks worth of courses on the methodology alone and I've been having nightmares about the exposé (oral presentation) since I despise public speaking more than anything in the world except house-pets and wearing heels on cobblestones.
The topics of essays can be "1956" or "Louis-Phillipe, king of Frenchmen" or "Napolean, follower or grave-digger of the Revolution" then I have to come to the problematique (the paradox/question that will be answered in the dissertation). Things to think about: the use of "Frenchmen" instead of "France", 1956 as the turning point in international politics in the context of the Cold War. blah blah blah. I'm going to fail. Sorry mom and dad.
If anyone would care to enlighten me as to how I can write a dissertation on how "being bourgeois" and "living bourgeois" are radically different, I'd be much obliged. Why can't we just call it an essay? That's so much less intimidating.
Each night has been a different bar for Sciences Po international students. Drinks here are just astronomically priced. Paid £4 for a glass of Coke a few nights ago. I need to stop translating everything into dollars. It's depressing.
Things I miss: my (mom's) car, american Coke, pennies, quiet, smiling, my friends.
Things I don't miss: Starbucks, sweatpants, pennies, the Mods on weekend-nights, the T.
The metro here is ridiculously efficient (except when the workers are on strike, which will happen at some point while I'm here, I'm told).
There is an entire weeks worth of courses on the methodology alone and I've been having nightmares about the exposé (oral presentation) since I despise public speaking more than anything in the world except house-pets and wearing heels on cobblestones.
The topics of essays can be "1956" or "Louis-Phillipe, king of Frenchmen" or "Napolean, follower or grave-digger of the Revolution" then I have to come to the problematique (the paradox/question that will be answered in the dissertation). Things to think about: the use of "Frenchmen" instead of "France", 1956 as the turning point in international politics in the context of the Cold War. blah blah blah. I'm going to fail. Sorry mom and dad.
If anyone would care to enlighten me as to how I can write a dissertation on how "being bourgeois" and "living bourgeois" are radically different, I'd be much obliged. Why can't we just call it an essay? That's so much less intimidating.
Each night has been a different bar for Sciences Po international students. Drinks here are just astronomically priced. Paid £4 for a glass of Coke a few nights ago. I need to stop translating everything into dollars. It's depressing.
Things I miss: my (mom's) car, american Coke, pennies, quiet, smiling, my friends.
Things I don't miss: Starbucks, sweatpants, pennies, the Mods on weekend-nights, the T.
The metro here is ridiculously efficient (except when the workers are on strike, which will happen at some point while I'm here, I'm told).
25 August 2011
our lady
 |
| Notre Dame |
23 August 2011
je suis là !
I've been here since Sunday morning and I'm somehow still not over jet-lag. Our bus tour of the tourist hot-spots of Paris was...informative...for the parts I was awake for. Here are the requisite touristy photos. I live about 25 minutes away from all of the tourist jazz of the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe.
Spent the last two hours walking around my neighborhood, which is host to one of the most famous cemeteries in France...so I strolled around and looked at the family tombs of famous dead diplomats. Was a pretty pleasant afternoon. Now I'm back at rue Paul Strauss ready for my afternoon nap before I do some much needed grocery. Apparently it's a French thing to only buy what you're going to use in the next day or two. The fridge is dead empty. So is my stomach. So that leaves me doing grocery 2x a week so that I don't end up having more stuff in the fridge for myself than a family of 5 has for itself.
Isabelle (my host mom) is an actress. She hasn't been around much so I haven't gotten to chat with her too much. But, she does leave me some french food on the stove before she leaves, which as long as the cats don't get to it first, is usually delicious. Her fiancée, Giles, is supposedly a genius in the baking department, which I'm really excited to experience. Isabelle is literally exactly what I was expecting when I was told I'd be living in a house in the 20e (used to be a working class neighborhood, kind of still is) with a single actress mom (sort of), her 3 kids, 4 cats (there are at least 6), dog, (and add in guinea pigs, mice, and fish). The kids are still on vacation chez grand-mère, so I haven't met them or the dog. Hopefully I like them more than I like the cats. Then again I normally hate cats and I can tolerate these. Good sign.
Last night, went to Salsero in le Quartier Latin, right around the corner from the Notre Dame and basically on the Seine. Got entirely lost for about 30 minutes, then found the bar (which sucked). Whoever chose that place to meet up with Sciences Po kids for the first time is not my favorite person. Instead I went to Le Petit Pont (a cafe/bar two doors down), where they served us drinks on fire. Needless to say, I was highly satisfied with the change of location. Unfortunately, the metro stops running at 1:30 while Parisians dine until all odd hours of the night. As I was leaving the bar around 12:30, there were still many people casually strolling in to sit down.
Took the metro back. I was worried since it was so late and my neighborhood is pretty isolated at nighttime. Rule #1: No eye contact with ANYONE. Oops. Made eye contact with a middle-aged man. Apparently that means one of two things, yes, I would like to enter into conversation with you or yes, I would love it if you would blatantly stare at me for minutes at a time. After a certain point I really couldn't help myself so I shot him a death glare and he continued staring. Now worried I'm going to be the first American student in Paris to get kidnapped I got out at the next stop and got back on a few cars back. Other than that, nothing super sketchy. If you even make eye contact with guys here they start cat-calling, which is really disconcerting especially after being able to smile at everyone and chat with strangers back in the American burbs. So now I'm making a conscious effort to look angry and stare at my feet, which is making it really easy to get lost.
Other than the creepy men, this city is incredible. Can't believe I'm actually here.
 |
| the Louvre |
 |
| Arc de Triomphe |
 |
| Le Tour Eiffel |
 |
| Arc de Triomphe - Champs Elysées |
Spent the last two hours walking around my neighborhood, which is host to one of the most famous cemeteries in France...so I strolled around and looked at the family tombs of famous dead diplomats. Was a pretty pleasant afternoon. Now I'm back at rue Paul Strauss ready for my afternoon nap before I do some much needed grocery. Apparently it's a French thing to only buy what you're going to use in the next day or two. The fridge is dead empty. So is my stomach. So that leaves me doing grocery 2x a week so that I don't end up having more stuff in the fridge for myself than a family of 5 has for itself.
Isabelle (my host mom) is an actress. She hasn't been around much so I haven't gotten to chat with her too much. But, she does leave me some french food on the stove before she leaves, which as long as the cats don't get to it first, is usually delicious. Her fiancée, Giles, is supposedly a genius in the baking department, which I'm really excited to experience. Isabelle is literally exactly what I was expecting when I was told I'd be living in a house in the 20e (used to be a working class neighborhood, kind of still is) with a single actress mom (sort of), her 3 kids, 4 cats (there are at least 6), dog, (and add in guinea pigs, mice, and fish). The kids are still on vacation chez grand-mère, so I haven't met them or the dog. Hopefully I like them more than I like the cats. Then again I normally hate cats and I can tolerate these. Good sign.
 |
| Living room at rue Paul Strauss at night |
Last night, went to Salsero in le Quartier Latin, right around the corner from the Notre Dame and basically on the Seine. Got entirely lost for about 30 minutes, then found the bar (which sucked). Whoever chose that place to meet up with Sciences Po kids for the first time is not my favorite person. Instead I went to Le Petit Pont (a cafe/bar two doors down), where they served us drinks on fire. Needless to say, I was highly satisfied with the change of location. Unfortunately, the metro stops running at 1:30 while Parisians dine until all odd hours of the night. As I was leaving the bar around 12:30, there were still many people casually strolling in to sit down.
Took the metro back. I was worried since it was so late and my neighborhood is pretty isolated at nighttime. Rule #1: No eye contact with ANYONE. Oops. Made eye contact with a middle-aged man. Apparently that means one of two things, yes, I would like to enter into conversation with you or yes, I would love it if you would blatantly stare at me for minutes at a time. After a certain point I really couldn't help myself so I shot him a death glare and he continued staring. Now worried I'm going to be the first American student in Paris to get kidnapped I got out at the next stop and got back on a few cars back. Other than that, nothing super sketchy. If you even make eye contact with guys here they start cat-calling, which is really disconcerting especially after being able to smile at everyone and chat with strangers back in the American burbs. So now I'm making a conscious effort to look angry and stare at my feet, which is making it really easy to get lost.
Other than the creepy men, this city is incredible. Can't believe I'm actually here.
17 August 2011
3 days
Let the stomachache begin. My flight is in a little over 3 days. I still need to finish packing and tying up loose ends here but I'm more or less ready. This was an awesome summer, but I'm ready to go try new things and meet new people.
I need to figure out how to squeeze all my stuff into 2 suitcases and a backpack. Shoot! I have to go buy a backpack. I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS.
Also have to plan September visits and trips to Morocco and Spain and England and Italy...
Already can't wait for Christmas-time...
Also wish this headache would go away.
I need to figure out how to squeeze all my stuff into 2 suitcases and a backpack. Shoot! I have to go buy a backpack. I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS.
Also have to plan September visits and trips to Morocco and Spain and England and Italy...
Already can't wait for Christmas-time...
Also wish this headache would go away.
05 August 2011
01 August 2011
insight
Do you think the porter and the cook have no anecdotes, no experiences, no wonders for you? The walls of their minds are scrawled all over with thoughts.
They shall one day bring a lantern and read the inscriptions.
Emerson.
They shall one day bring a lantern and read the inscriptions.
Emerson.
last hurrah
This was such a good BC weekend. Everybody who is still in the States came up to stay at Dans/in 66. It was hot as balls but we all managed just fine. This weekend was a classic example of decision-making on the margin. Usually, I would skip work in a heartbeat to do...well almost anything, but I'm in desperate need of money to pay for my Parisian adventures and I can no longer put off the saving of the money. So every cent I can save in the next two weeks will be saved. I'm working one last catering shift, then Dzen's for 2 days.
Ended up doing the Schlesinger study. Some dude came to 66 and videotaped me studying for 30 minutes. Then he asked me questions about my study habits to figure out what the likelihood of my using a tablet for school would be (zero). I get 50 bucks for not even an hour of doing what I would normally be doing anyways. Success.
The wedding I catered yesterday was absolutely stunning. The bride and groom were both simple and down-to-earth. There were maybe 50 people, and everybody knew everybody else. It was in a beautiful garden, with ivory tablecloths and simple, white with turquoise and gold trim Tiffany plates. For guest-bags, we just put out to-go containers and people packed away the desserts (Toscanini's Mango Sorbet). Instead of having 7 different glasses for champagne, white, red, and water, and 7 thousand forks she chose to have just a fork and knife and family-style plating (which is super annoying, but makes sense when one of the three dinner options is an entire seared Snapper...like literally they caught the fish and didn't filet anything, just seasoned it and thew it on the grill). Delicious. Even if I didn't get paid it would probably still be worth it since the food is so consistently stupid good.
Tonight's event was a entirely vegan (down to the coffee creamer and apple-butter). Now I feel really healthy...but I kinda really want a fried egg.
It's such a simple concept: be nice to the people who work for you and they'll be nice to the people they're serving and everybody's happy in the end. Most other companies don't get it, but it makes total sense. If the servers are fed and watered, then we're able to last the entire 10 hour shift and the guests notice that we're happy. Then STT gets a good reputation and oh look everyone wins. Such an awesome job. Such an awesome company.
Ended up doing the Schlesinger study. Some dude came to 66 and videotaped me studying for 30 minutes. Then he asked me questions about my study habits to figure out what the likelihood of my using a tablet for school would be (zero). I get 50 bucks for not even an hour of doing what I would normally be doing anyways. Success.
The wedding I catered yesterday was absolutely stunning. The bride and groom were both simple and down-to-earth. There were maybe 50 people, and everybody knew everybody else. It was in a beautiful garden, with ivory tablecloths and simple, white with turquoise and gold trim Tiffany plates. For guest-bags, we just put out to-go containers and people packed away the desserts (Toscanini's Mango Sorbet). Instead of having 7 different glasses for champagne, white, red, and water, and 7 thousand forks she chose to have just a fork and knife and family-style plating (which is super annoying, but makes sense when one of the three dinner options is an entire seared Snapper...like literally they caught the fish and didn't filet anything, just seasoned it and thew it on the grill). Delicious. Even if I didn't get paid it would probably still be worth it since the food is so consistently stupid good.
 |
| Audubon Society site for the wedding, kind of reminded me of the Secret Garden. |
Tonight's event was a entirely vegan (down to the coffee creamer and apple-butter). Now I feel really healthy...but I kinda really want a fried egg.
It's such a simple concept: be nice to the people who work for you and they'll be nice to the people they're serving and everybody's happy in the end. Most other companies don't get it, but it makes total sense. If the servers are fed and watered, then we're able to last the entire 10 hour shift and the guests notice that we're happy. Then STT gets a good reputation and oh look everyone wins. Such an awesome job. Such an awesome company.
27 July 2011
daytrippin to nyc
That was an incredible day in the city. Spent way more than I'd planned (let's see - $250 on clothes, $30 rt including taxis and trains, dinner wasn't bad at all only $46). I'm going to owe dad and mom so much after Paris. I've heard stories of how I should expect to spend a minimum of $5000...A SEMESTER. WHERE am I going to get that money?! I wish I'd planned ahead and signed up for a sleep study in June. Ill have maybe 1.000 of my own plus whatever mom and dad give me per month. That has to get me to at least Parma, Germany, and Barcelona in the first semester - London, Cannes, and Morocco in the second. Yikes!
I honestly couldn't love cities more - the subway is so much easier than I thought...so hopefully the metro in Paris will be just as straightforward...doubt it.
Went to Crispo downtown for dinner and ate outside under this gazebo. Started pouring by the time we drove to Nordstrom rack where I found a hideous dress by a designer named "Divya". Creepy.
Also don't know what I'd do without my GPS and internet on my phone. This year will be very interesting. Perhaps I'll develop a sense of direction.
Sent an email to Isabelle today - tried to look it over for grammar and stuff but I could barely understand what I'd written...hopefully she's good at deciphering idiot American-French.
Went to cancel my Netflix account when I found a new movie with Hrithik Roshan in it. Guess I'm not cancelling Netflix anytime soon. Currently watching: Kites. Currently reading: Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen.
Ended up getting back to South Station at 4a. Hung around with my homeless friends until 5:30, took the T and got back into my room/passed out at 6:30a. Long ass day. Totally worth it.
Also have, more or less, a new wardrobe for Paris. Exactly what I didn't need at all.
Conclusion: Megabus is worth it if you aren't on a schedule, you have a truckload of patience, and you're broke.
I honestly couldn't love cities more - the subway is so much easier than I thought...so hopefully the metro in Paris will be just as straightforward...doubt it.
Went to Crispo downtown for dinner and ate outside under this gazebo. Started pouring by the time we drove to Nordstrom rack where I found a hideous dress by a designer named "Divya". Creepy.
Also don't know what I'd do without my GPS and internet on my phone. This year will be very interesting. Perhaps I'll develop a sense of direction.
Sent an email to Isabelle today - tried to look it over for grammar and stuff but I could barely understand what I'd written...hopefully she's good at deciphering idiot American-French.
Went to cancel my Netflix account when I found a new movie with Hrithik Roshan in it. Guess I'm not cancelling Netflix anytime soon. Currently watching: Kites. Currently reading: Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen.
Ended up getting back to South Station at 4a. Hung around with my homeless friends until 5:30, took the T and got back into my room/passed out at 6:30a. Long ass day. Totally worth it.
 |
| South Station platform at 4:05 this morning - populated by PSI residents and stranded travelers. |
Conclusion: Megabus is worth it if you aren't on a schedule, you have a truckload of patience, and you're broke.
25 July 2011
i'm a telemarketer...
...for Boston College. It is maybe the worst job on campus. I would rather clean every single bathroom in Walsh with a toothbrush and spray bottle. I would rather cook dinner for the entire football team. I would rather work BC Catering again. To give you an idea of my misery - it begins in the morning, when I realize "Oh shizzlesticks" I have phone center tonight, my day is going to suck. Honestly I would rather go stay in a homeless shelter (no, really I would). Then I struggle with the idea of calling in with a rare African jungle disease (Ebola perhaps). Then I decide that I might as well go instead of watching another political documentary on Netflix. I make it down to the center at 5:59 and start calling at 6.
What follows is 3 hours of hell. Angry old men who graduated in 1948 and don't even remember how to wipe their own asses proceed to tell me off for trying to finagle money out of them. When I apologize and mention, "Well, sir, I'm really sorry to bother you, but this is what I do for my on-campus employment. Maybe if jackasses like yourself gave more money I would get some financial aid and not have to pay for my own books" (ok, I know I don't pay for my own books, but that's besides the point).
Next call is a Class of '11 grad. Their mom answers and tells me that the kid has moved out. "Oh sorry to bother you then, do you have a forwarding number I can reach her at?" Um. No. Great so now your kid is no longer in the BC directory because I had to mark them as "Whereabouts unknown". Success.
I love calling the Law School grads though. They pick up and ask me "You want money?" Yes. "Fine send me an email" For how much? "Whatever. I'll pay you to stop calling me".
Once in awhile you get really awesome prospects though. I called a dude in my long shift (6 freaking hours on Sundays) who graduated in '61 and went to Vietnam. He was a civil planner. He graduated with a degree in PoliSci, which is basically what I'm doing. We chatted about Afghanistan and Iraq and Vietnam and their similarities for 15 minutes before I got around to asking him for money (No). Then he told me not to join the army, not to major in Political Science, to marry rich, and live in New York City. Valid advice I suppose, considering I'm never going to get a job.
What follows is 3 hours of hell. Angry old men who graduated in 1948 and don't even remember how to wipe their own asses proceed to tell me off for trying to finagle money out of them. When I apologize and mention, "Well, sir, I'm really sorry to bother you, but this is what I do for my on-campus employment. Maybe if jackasses like yourself gave more money I would get some financial aid and not have to pay for my own books" (ok, I know I don't pay for my own books, but that's besides the point).
Next call is a Class of '11 grad. Their mom answers and tells me that the kid has moved out. "Oh sorry to bother you then, do you have a forwarding number I can reach her at?" Um. No. Great so now your kid is no longer in the BC directory because I had to mark them as "Whereabouts unknown". Success.
I love calling the Law School grads though. They pick up and ask me "You want money?" Yes. "Fine send me an email" For how much? "Whatever. I'll pay you to stop calling me".
Once in awhile you get really awesome prospects though. I called a dude in my long shift (6 freaking hours on Sundays) who graduated in '61 and went to Vietnam. He was a civil planner. He graduated with a degree in PoliSci, which is basically what I'm doing. We chatted about Afghanistan and Iraq and Vietnam and their similarities for 15 minutes before I got around to asking him for money (No). Then he told me not to join the army, not to major in Political Science, to marry rich, and live in New York City. Valid advice I suppose, considering I'm never going to get a job.
busy week
So Monday I work Phone Center. Tuesday I'm taking MegaBus to NYC to have dinner with Kev, Alec, Serafina, Rose, and CJ. Wednesday I work Phone Center again. Thursday I have Econ. Friday Kev, Alec, me, Dan, Jess, Matt, Garred, and Rose are all reunited again! Unfortunately, they get here Friday evening and I work Saturday and Sunday evenings for at least 8 hours each time. So I'll get to see people Friday night, Saturday until noon, after work on Saturday, and Sunday until 3p.
Got out of work at 8p tonight and went for an awesome run. The streets are pretty well populated and Comm Ave was decently well lit so I wasn't afraid of getting raped and killed. I want to make a list of all the places in Europe/Africa that I want to go running in next year. Besides Paris, I think Barcelona, Dublin, Munich, London, Fez, Parma...basically everywhere I will be visiting.
3 weeks and 6 days. And before I go to NYC on Tuesday I'd better be done with all of my economics chapters. Looking for a new tv show - trying out Camelot. Maybe I'll just go back and re-watch some Buffy or Bones...
Keep forgetting that once I leave I'll never see my senior (Class of '12) friends again. This sucks.
Got out of work at 8p tonight and went for an awesome run. The streets are pretty well populated and Comm Ave was decently well lit so I wasn't afraid of getting raped and killed. I want to make a list of all the places in Europe/Africa that I want to go running in next year. Besides Paris, I think Barcelona, Dublin, Munich, London, Fez, Parma...basically everywhere I will be visiting.
3 weeks and 6 days. And before I go to NYC on Tuesday I'd better be done with all of my economics chapters. Looking for a new tv show - trying out Camelot. Maybe I'll just go back and re-watch some Buffy or Bones...
Keep forgetting that once I leave I'll never see my senior (Class of '12) friends again. This sucks.
23 July 2011
travel hell
I've been in travel hell before. On the way to Leiden our plane experienced mechanical difficulties and we ended up spending a night in a hotel in Windsor, CT. The next day, we took off and, yet again, our plane experienced mechanical difficulties so we landed in Boston and ended up reaching Amsterdam about a day and a half behind schedule. Yesterday was pretty much the same situation except I was angrier and I was taking buses and trains, not planes. Somehow made it back home before 7p and did absolutely nothing for the rest of the day. Working at Dzen's 1 - 9p tonight. Then I have to come back and (a) sort through my clothes (b) call student services about my bill (c) make a shopping list (d) email Isabelle (e) organize my books (f) bake. Leaving for Boston again tomorrow morning, but this time I don't come home until Sunday the 7th of August. Then that's it. 10 days until I leave and I spend a bunch of them in DC with Anand. Jeez.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)