*NOTE: I wrote this blog post several days ago and intended to post it, but it didn't work. So bear in mind that the following events happened a few days ago.
My french is improving rapidly. I find that even when I speak in english, I subconsciously affect a french accent and speak in broken english just to sound more like everyone else! I feel that I am blending in well with the locals. I know I dress like them. I THINK I act like them for the most part. The only thing I will never be able to do is speak exactly like them.
I am taking tons of pictures, however it is tres difficulte to get them out of the camera and into the computer. And many of them are not interesting anyway.
I carried my red alice tote bag today and was SO paranoid that I would get pickpocketed!
Oh, and my watch broke. The strap broke. I dont think it is unfixable, but it wont stay affixed to my wrist. I cant believe that out of the 3 watches i could choose from, ALL of them broke! I bought a new one today from a little shop for about 10euro. Right now are the sales in paris, january and june! You literally see the word "SOldes" EVERYWHERE in practically every shop window.
I wanted to go to the grocery store again today, but I didnt want to carry anything with me. I am pleased that I am no longer utterly confused by the metro! My map has been such an unbelievable help but it is true that even after being in the city for several days, you are able to figure things out and adapt so quickly!
Anyway, the weather today was HORRIBLE. Freezing, spontaneous rain all throughout the day, wind... Everyone, even the native parisians thought it was especially bad. So anyway, I had to go to a UC meeting at 2 ALL the way across the city. I didnt get lost though!
Afterward, I walked around to the stores with some friends, Nilo and Jamie. We got on the metro to go back to school for "Crepes Night" but ended up on a fun detour! I met 3 teenage girls on the metro and started talking to them. (It turns out they were 17 year old jewish girls) They didnt not speak very good english and i did not speak very good french but I asked them where the good places to shop were. (Talking to a stranger on the metro, even smiling or making eye contact es une grande faux pas, as I am constantly reminded by advisors, but they seemed safe and friendly so I took a chance!)
Anyway, it turns out one of the girls was going to H&M herself, so she invited us to follow her there. We took a picture with her, so I'll post it later sometime. Anyway, we ended up right at Galerie Lafayette! The department store is gorgeous inside. it reminds me of a very elegant opera or theater. We took some pictures and felt a bit embarassed until we saw other ppl doing the same.
The store is tres expensive, all big designers, but outside there is Zara, H&M as well as many cheap stalls that sell scarves and things for 5 euros. Nilo got a pair of flat black boots for only 20 euro and a passport cover for 5. I really want to go back soon!
Anyway, we then went to school for "crepe night" which was a socializing event with 1 cheese filled crepe. It was okay for a while, but then it started to get boring. I met up with some people, including my new friend Tara from Berkeley and we went to Ricardo's apartment around 11. He's from colombia and must be extremely rich because he has a gorgeous apartment all to himself that he pays 2500euro per month for! We listened to music and dance, and drank a little bit. He has been in France for 6 months already so he knew all the good places to go. He took us to a club called..... I forgot. The name escapes me, but it was very difficult to get into, the bouncers really give you a hard time and you have to be dressed nice. We eventually got in and just danced. It felt like any regular club or discotheque in the united states except that everyone else spoke french and le garcons seemed much more aggressive.
We were out very late (because a few of us went out for pizza afterward) before I finally made my way back home on the metro, but luckily we dont have class until 3pm tomorrow!
So far I have been living off bread and butter! I am starting to fall in love with the city of Paris. The city is full of vivre, I can see why so many people love living here. I want to go to the louvre on friday because it is free for people under 26.
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