Inside the Colosseum
Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre
The Leaning Tower of Pisa
Florence
Me in Burano
Venice- The island of Burano
Saturday, July 25, 2009
May, June and July
Bonjour Y'all!
First off, can I just tell you how soooo very sorry I am for taking 3 months...3 MONTHS to update my blog! I guess promising a blog every week wasn't the best solution. I realize that if I continue to wait 3 months in between each entry, I'm going to forget a lot of things AND the entries will be super long!! Please forgive me and my procrastinating ways. :)
Alright...here we go. A lot has happened in the last 3 months. At the beginning of May, I went down to Lyon, France to a conference where James Goll, a man who attends my church in Nashville, was speaking. I had such a great time and God provided in so many amazing ways! I met some really nice people and just hearing James speak made me feel like a little piece of home was here in France. My birthday was also in May and I had such a great time with my friends here! We had dinner...and cake!!!.. at my place then we went bowling. We had a lot of fun and it was a great way to spend my 27th birthday. Also in May, 2 friends from Nashville came to Paris for a few days and we had a lot of fun as well.
The month of June is kind of a blur. I do remember that I was getting fed up with Paris. Everything about Paris was aggrevating me and I didn't want to be here anymore. The language was frustrating, the people seemed ruder than ever and the guys, oh don't get me started on them! I'm pretty sure I went through a "Don't talk to me or I will punch you in the face" phase. haha I just needed to get out of Paris. I didn't feel like me anymore and that was frustrating. I ended up going to Italy in July and I had such a great time!! Italy has been on my "Places I want to go before I die" list and it definitely didn't disappoint me. I spent 2 days in Venice, 2 days in Florence, 2 hours in Pisa, 2 days in Cinque Terre and about a day and a half in Rome. I met great people in every city and of course most of them are now my Facebook friends! haha Every city was different, all touristy yes, but each had its own style.
In Venice, public transportation consists of boats that take you to different parts of the city and even to the smaller islands that are farther from the main island. These boats really teach you patience because they only go at one speed(slow) and if you happen to hop onto a boat going in the wrong directions, your 10 minute trip just turned into an hour. Not that I know from experience or anything...wait, YES I DO!! Venice is gorgeous though and I definitely will go back there.
Florence was nice and very different from Venice. Florence is an artsy city and you can see it everywhere you go. It wasn't my favorite city but I'm glad I went. From Florence, I took an early train to Pisa. My plan was to get to Pisa, walk to the Leaning Tower, take lots of pictures, then hop back on a train and be in Cinque Terre by noon; spend less than 2 hours in Pisa. Well, everything except being in Cinque Terre by noon happened thanks to the good ol' Italian train strike. After waiting for 2 hours, the train finally arrived. I had to transfer trains in a smaller city and ended up having to wait 45 minutes or so because some of the trains were being cancelled, including the train I needed. I ended up making it to Cinque Terre by 2:45 then had to wait another hour to check into my hostel. Honestly though, it sounds worse than it actually was. Of course nobody likes to wait, but for me, living with the public transportation system in Europe for 7 months now has really taught me more patience. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING you can do to change the situation, so why get all worked up about it. Just sit, read a book, listen to your iPod and wait until it's time to go.
Cinque Terre was absolutely gorgeous and yes...I will definitely go back there!!! Cinque Terre is made up of 5 small towns, all on the western coast of Italy. For me, as well as most of the people that I met there, Cinque Terre is a place that instantly relaxes you. Everything moves at a slower pace and it's just peaceful. You can go to the water and swim or lay out; You can hike from town to town or you can do both...on the same day. Very cool place and I encourage everyone to travel there! After Cinque Terre, I was pretty much ready to come back to Paris, but I needed to see Rome. So I took the early train from Cinque Terre to Rome, checked into my hostel and went straight to the Colosseum. Honestly, I didn't know if I would like Rome. It was another big city, tons of people, etc. But when I got to the Colosseum, I was blown away by all of the history there. There were ancient ruins all over, but then right beside the ruins there were newer buildings. Definitely a cool thing to see. The Colosseum was huge and very impressive. Just trying to picture what took place in there was overwhelming. That same day, I walked around the ancient city (The Roman Forum) and sat on the Spanish Steps. The next day I went to the Vatican. The Sistine Chapel was extraordinary!! Michelangelo was definitely a brilliant artist. I also went to St. Peter's Basilica. This church is huge, and when I say huge, I mean huge!!! It was definitely a site to see.
I took the night train back to Paris and was back in Paris by 10:30 the next morning. I definitely had a memorable trip to Italy, one that I will never forget. I met some really great people, took TONS of pictures and learned so much. I am hoping to post a lot of my pictures on here so everyone can see them. I also might set up a Shutterfly account so you can see all of my pictures from my time here. I will let you know what I end up doing.
Thank you all so much for your love and support! I am thankful for each and every one of you. I promise I will try and do a better job of updating my blog and posting pictures. I hope all is well and I can't wait to see everyone in December!!!
A bientot!!!
Jessi
First off, can I just tell you how soooo very sorry I am for taking 3 months...3 MONTHS to update my blog! I guess promising a blog every week wasn't the best solution. I realize that if I continue to wait 3 months in between each entry, I'm going to forget a lot of things AND the entries will be super long!! Please forgive me and my procrastinating ways. :)
Alright...here we go. A lot has happened in the last 3 months. At the beginning of May, I went down to Lyon, France to a conference where James Goll, a man who attends my church in Nashville, was speaking. I had such a great time and God provided in so many amazing ways! I met some really nice people and just hearing James speak made me feel like a little piece of home was here in France. My birthday was also in May and I had such a great time with my friends here! We had dinner...and cake!!!.. at my place then we went bowling. We had a lot of fun and it was a great way to spend my 27th birthday. Also in May, 2 friends from Nashville came to Paris for a few days and we had a lot of fun as well.
The month of June is kind of a blur. I do remember that I was getting fed up with Paris. Everything about Paris was aggrevating me and I didn't want to be here anymore. The language was frustrating, the people seemed ruder than ever and the guys, oh don't get me started on them! I'm pretty sure I went through a "Don't talk to me or I will punch you in the face" phase. haha I just needed to get out of Paris. I didn't feel like me anymore and that was frustrating. I ended up going to Italy in July and I had such a great time!! Italy has been on my "Places I want to go before I die" list and it definitely didn't disappoint me. I spent 2 days in Venice, 2 days in Florence, 2 hours in Pisa, 2 days in Cinque Terre and about a day and a half in Rome. I met great people in every city and of course most of them are now my Facebook friends! haha Every city was different, all touristy yes, but each had its own style.
In Venice, public transportation consists of boats that take you to different parts of the city and even to the smaller islands that are farther from the main island. These boats really teach you patience because they only go at one speed(slow) and if you happen to hop onto a boat going in the wrong directions, your 10 minute trip just turned into an hour. Not that I know from experience or anything...wait, YES I DO!! Venice is gorgeous though and I definitely will go back there.
Florence was nice and very different from Venice. Florence is an artsy city and you can see it everywhere you go. It wasn't my favorite city but I'm glad I went. From Florence, I took an early train to Pisa. My plan was to get to Pisa, walk to the Leaning Tower, take lots of pictures, then hop back on a train and be in Cinque Terre by noon; spend less than 2 hours in Pisa. Well, everything except being in Cinque Terre by noon happened thanks to the good ol' Italian train strike. After waiting for 2 hours, the train finally arrived. I had to transfer trains in a smaller city and ended up having to wait 45 minutes or so because some of the trains were being cancelled, including the train I needed. I ended up making it to Cinque Terre by 2:45 then had to wait another hour to check into my hostel. Honestly though, it sounds worse than it actually was. Of course nobody likes to wait, but for me, living with the public transportation system in Europe for 7 months now has really taught me more patience. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING you can do to change the situation, so why get all worked up about it. Just sit, read a book, listen to your iPod and wait until it's time to go.
Cinque Terre was absolutely gorgeous and yes...I will definitely go back there!!! Cinque Terre is made up of 5 small towns, all on the western coast of Italy. For me, as well as most of the people that I met there, Cinque Terre is a place that instantly relaxes you. Everything moves at a slower pace and it's just peaceful. You can go to the water and swim or lay out; You can hike from town to town or you can do both...on the same day. Very cool place and I encourage everyone to travel there! After Cinque Terre, I was pretty much ready to come back to Paris, but I needed to see Rome. So I took the early train from Cinque Terre to Rome, checked into my hostel and went straight to the Colosseum. Honestly, I didn't know if I would like Rome. It was another big city, tons of people, etc. But when I got to the Colosseum, I was blown away by all of the history there. There were ancient ruins all over, but then right beside the ruins there were newer buildings. Definitely a cool thing to see. The Colosseum was huge and very impressive. Just trying to picture what took place in there was overwhelming. That same day, I walked around the ancient city (The Roman Forum) and sat on the Spanish Steps. The next day I went to the Vatican. The Sistine Chapel was extraordinary!! Michelangelo was definitely a brilliant artist. I also went to St. Peter's Basilica. This church is huge, and when I say huge, I mean huge!!! It was definitely a site to see.
I took the night train back to Paris and was back in Paris by 10:30 the next morning. I definitely had a memorable trip to Italy, one that I will never forget. I met some really great people, took TONS of pictures and learned so much. I am hoping to post a lot of my pictures on here so everyone can see them. I also might set up a Shutterfly account so you can see all of my pictures from my time here. I will let you know what I end up doing.
Thank you all so much for your love and support! I am thankful for each and every one of you. I promise I will try and do a better job of updating my blog and posting pictures. I hope all is well and I can't wait to see everyone in December!!!
A bientot!!!
Jessi
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Amsterdam and Auxerre
Bonjour Y'all!!!
Soo...I'm back in Paris...after 2 weeks of "vacation" and I'm not gonna lie, I really want to continue to travel and be on vacation! haha I have had a blast the last 2 weeks and I can't wait to have more times like that. Why did I have 2 weeks off you ask? Well, the kids in France get 2 weeks off of school every 6 weeks, don't go to school on Wednesdays, have 3 3-day weekends in May AND 2 months off during the summer. Not too shabby I have to say!
The first week, 5 girls(all au pairs) and I went to Amsterdam for 3 days and had an amazing time!! The city is very charming; there are canals and small little streets everywhere. The people in The Netherlands are very friendly...and most of them speak English which is wonderful!!! My friend Awna and I, in order to save money, took a bus to and from Amsterdam. We thought we might lose our minds after an 8 hour drive there and an 8 hour drive back but it really wasn't bad at all. And plus we saved about 60 euros by taking the bus and that is always a great thing!!! We explored the city the best we could in 3 days. We went for a bike ride early one morning and that was a lot of fun. We saw so much of the city that way, and got a good workout in the process!! Everyone, I mean EVERYONE in Amsterdam has a bike. There are special bike lanes, bike traffic signals, bike crossings. It was amazing!!! We also went to a few museums: The Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank Museum, The Dutch Resistance Museum, and the Jewish Memorial. We also walked through the Red Light District...and it actually has red lights that show you were the district begins and ends. I honestly thought it was going to be a lot trashier and dirtier but it was more sad and disturbing than anything else. The women stand behind glass doors facing the street, not leaving much to the imagination, enticing men to pick them. Since prostitution is legal there, these women rent out these rooms, pay taxes, and the government protects them. You can't take pictures while you're in the Red Light District....they'll throw your camera into the canal, and they don't like you standing and staring....just keep on walking. But the city of Amsterdam, as a whole, is great. On Saturday we made our way to Keukenhof Garden, about an hour outside of the city. This garden used to be the royal herb garden. Now, it's only open 2 months out of the year, March to May, and it has over 7 million flowers...mostly tulips(my favorite!!!). It was absolutely gorgeous!! Definitely worth making the trip to see it. I should have pictures up very soon...if you have Facebook, I've already posted them there.
When I got back from Amsterdam I had one day in Paris, then I was off to the city of Auxerre, France, about 2 hours outside of Paris. Ahhh...it was so refreshing to be out of the big city and in the country. I LOVED it there. I was there to "work" but also explore another part of France. I stayed at one of the grandmother's houses and spent time with her and the girls, Capucine and Rose. We had a great time. We walked around the city centre(not very big at all) and also drove to an old church in a village called Vezelay that was part of the Crusades. The church is on a hill and the church, as well as the view from the hill is breathtaking. Unfortunately, when I got out of the car at the church, I dropped my camera and it broke:( I took some pictures with my phone so we'll see how they turn out. Let's pray I can get my camera fixed soon...and cheap!! The girls and I also took walks and rode bikes around our village and the weather couldn't have been better. I really had a nice time.
So...there you have it. My last 2 weeks all rolled into 1 nice blog!! I'm happy with my life right now. I'm definitely not a big city girl but I'm happy being where I am. I've been here for 4 months now and I'm hitting the point where I'm starting to find out, more and more, who I am and what I want. God has been so good to me and has blessed me more than I could ever imagine. I have found a peace and strength in that. I came to the realization about 2 weeks ago that there is no need for me to worry or stress about the future. Whatever God has for me is and will be so much better than anything I could every have thought of myself and I find hope and peace in that. No matter where I go, who I'm with or what I'm doing, I know that if it's from God, it WILL BE AMAZING!!!
Thanks for taking the time to read this!!! Have a AMAZING and BLESSED day!!!
A Bientot!!
Jessi
Soo...I'm back in Paris...after 2 weeks of "vacation" and I'm not gonna lie, I really want to continue to travel and be on vacation! haha I have had a blast the last 2 weeks and I can't wait to have more times like that. Why did I have 2 weeks off you ask? Well, the kids in France get 2 weeks off of school every 6 weeks, don't go to school on Wednesdays, have 3 3-day weekends in May AND 2 months off during the summer. Not too shabby I have to say!
The first week, 5 girls(all au pairs) and I went to Amsterdam for 3 days and had an amazing time!! The city is very charming; there are canals and small little streets everywhere. The people in The Netherlands are very friendly...and most of them speak English which is wonderful!!! My friend Awna and I, in order to save money, took a bus to and from Amsterdam. We thought we might lose our minds after an 8 hour drive there and an 8 hour drive back but it really wasn't bad at all. And plus we saved about 60 euros by taking the bus and that is always a great thing!!! We explored the city the best we could in 3 days. We went for a bike ride early one morning and that was a lot of fun. We saw so much of the city that way, and got a good workout in the process!! Everyone, I mean EVERYONE in Amsterdam has a bike. There are special bike lanes, bike traffic signals, bike crossings. It was amazing!!! We also went to a few museums: The Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank Museum, The Dutch Resistance Museum, and the Jewish Memorial. We also walked through the Red Light District...and it actually has red lights that show you were the district begins and ends. I honestly thought it was going to be a lot trashier and dirtier but it was more sad and disturbing than anything else. The women stand behind glass doors facing the street, not leaving much to the imagination, enticing men to pick them. Since prostitution is legal there, these women rent out these rooms, pay taxes, and the government protects them. You can't take pictures while you're in the Red Light District....they'll throw your camera into the canal, and they don't like you standing and staring....just keep on walking. But the city of Amsterdam, as a whole, is great. On Saturday we made our way to Keukenhof Garden, about an hour outside of the city. This garden used to be the royal herb garden. Now, it's only open 2 months out of the year, March to May, and it has over 7 million flowers...mostly tulips(my favorite!!!). It was absolutely gorgeous!! Definitely worth making the trip to see it. I should have pictures up very soon...if you have Facebook, I've already posted them there.
When I got back from Amsterdam I had one day in Paris, then I was off to the city of Auxerre, France, about 2 hours outside of Paris. Ahhh...it was so refreshing to be out of the big city and in the country. I LOVED it there. I was there to "work" but also explore another part of France. I stayed at one of the grandmother's houses and spent time with her and the girls, Capucine and Rose. We had a great time. We walked around the city centre(not very big at all) and also drove to an old church in a village called Vezelay that was part of the Crusades. The church is on a hill and the church, as well as the view from the hill is breathtaking. Unfortunately, when I got out of the car at the church, I dropped my camera and it broke:( I took some pictures with my phone so we'll see how they turn out. Let's pray I can get my camera fixed soon...and cheap!! The girls and I also took walks and rode bikes around our village and the weather couldn't have been better. I really had a nice time.
So...there you have it. My last 2 weeks all rolled into 1 nice blog!! I'm happy with my life right now. I'm definitely not a big city girl but I'm happy being where I am. I've been here for 4 months now and I'm hitting the point where I'm starting to find out, more and more, who I am and what I want. God has been so good to me and has blessed me more than I could ever imagine. I have found a peace and strength in that. I came to the realization about 2 weeks ago that there is no need for me to worry or stress about the future. Whatever God has for me is and will be so much better than anything I could every have thought of myself and I find hope and peace in that. No matter where I go, who I'm with or what I'm doing, I know that if it's from God, it WILL BE AMAZING!!!
Thanks for taking the time to read this!!! Have a AMAZING and BLESSED day!!!
A Bientot!!
Jessi
Thursday, April 9, 2009
It's been a while!!
Bonjour Ya'll!!
I just noticed that I haven't written anything since February 22....I am sooo sorry about that! I really, really want to get better at this because I have so much to write about. Please pray that I become more productive with my time while I'm over here.
Well let's see.....since my last post, I officially have internet, phone and cable in my apartment! That has been great for me because now I don't have to go to McDonald's anymore!!! Wooohooo!!! The only downside that I see to having internet in my apartment is that I tend to stay up later than I need to talking to people. I LOVE talking to people and catching up but the whole time difference is a killer. This kind of goes with the whole being more productive with my time thing I wrote earlier. So, I'm trying to find a balance between keeping in contact and being productive and ACTUALLY going to sleep at a decent hour!! Please pray for me in that as well.
Some of you might have known that this past week was Paris Fashion Week. One of my friends took some really great pictures of the models and others coming out of a couple of shows. I went to the Louvre, where a few shows were being held; I didn't see anyone famous(that I knew anyway) but I did see some very tall, very thin, and very young models walking from one show to another. There was one lady that I saw who had a crazy looking hat on, kinda reminded me of a hat someone would wear down in Florida while fishing or vacationing or something! The photographers took pictures of her like she was important so I'm curious to see who she is.
****So the last 2 paragraphs were written March 14. I didn't have time to finish the blog so I saved it, thinking I would finish it later that day or the next day. It is NOW April 6th!! Gosh I'm doing a HORRIBLE job at this whole blog thing.****
Well I have officially been here for 3 months. I can't believe it's already April! Crazy!! I'm still having a great time, although I believe culture shock is setting in a little. The newness of Paris as worn off and now, I'm just trying to settle into my new life here as best as I can. I have good days and bad days, happy days and sad days. Contrary to what some people might think, it's not always glamorous here in Paris. This is not a vacation for me. I moved here...for a year...to work...so I have to deal with the ins and outs of everyday life just like I did in Nashville, except now I am in Paris.(**the following was written on April 9. haha just thought I'd share that :) ) Yes it's a great city; it's gorgeous here and there is a lot of history and a lot to see and do. But, this is a whole new adventure for me and I'm still trying to get used to it.
Onto other news...I am going to Amsterdam next week and I am really excited about it! This is the first of hopefully many trips that I will take while I'm here. There are 6 of us going...all au pairs...so money is pretty tight. One friend and I are taking a bus(because it was 60 euros cheaper than the train). It'll take us about 8 hours to get there, but we're traveling at night so we'll be able to sleep(please pray for my sanity! haha) I will definitely be taking lots of pictures and trying to avoid the legal drugs and the Red Light District as much as I can! I think..no, I know it'll make me sad to walk through there. I'll fill ya'll in about it when I get back. There are also a few museums we're going to check out, as well as the Keukenhof Gardens, which has 7 million flowers and is only open 2 months out of the year(and we just so happen to be going during that time!!) The Netherlands are known for their tulips and tulips are my FAVORITE flower!! Can you tell I'm excited?!! After I get back from Amsterdam, I have 1 day in Paris then I'm off to one of the grandmother's houses in the province of Burgundy. I will be there with the girls for 4 days. I'm excited to see another part of France...and I think she lives on a farm so that should be pretty interesting. Also, I asked the grandmother if she would teach me how to make Madeline's(cookies that are sooo good!) So, I will be in the country, cooking and baking..french style, attempting to learn more french, and speaking English to the girls...all at the same time. How's that for multitasking?!
Alright...it's late and I need to go to bed. I have class in the morning. Oh..AND....I am OFFICIALLY promising that I will write a new entry every week. If you know me at all, you know that when I promise something, I always follow through. So...be prepared to read about me and my adventures EVERY week!! Who knows, you might get sick of me in a month! haha
A Bientot!!
Au revoir!
Jessi
I just noticed that I haven't written anything since February 22....I am sooo sorry about that! I really, really want to get better at this because I have so much to write about. Please pray that I become more productive with my time while I'm over here.
Well let's see.....since my last post, I officially have internet, phone and cable in my apartment! That has been great for me because now I don't have to go to McDonald's anymore!!! Wooohooo!!! The only downside that I see to having internet in my apartment is that I tend to stay up later than I need to talking to people. I LOVE talking to people and catching up but the whole time difference is a killer. This kind of goes with the whole being more productive with my time thing I wrote earlier. So, I'm trying to find a balance between keeping in contact and being productive and ACTUALLY going to sleep at a decent hour!! Please pray for me in that as well.
Some of you might have known that this past week was Paris Fashion Week. One of my friends took some really great pictures of the models and others coming out of a couple of shows. I went to the Louvre, where a few shows were being held; I didn't see anyone famous(that I knew anyway) but I did see some very tall, very thin, and very young models walking from one show to another. There was one lady that I saw who had a crazy looking hat on, kinda reminded me of a hat someone would wear down in Florida while fishing or vacationing or something! The photographers took pictures of her like she was important so I'm curious to see who she is.
****So the last 2 paragraphs were written March 14. I didn't have time to finish the blog so I saved it, thinking I would finish it later that day or the next day. It is NOW April 6th!! Gosh I'm doing a HORRIBLE job at this whole blog thing.****
Well I have officially been here for 3 months. I can't believe it's already April! Crazy!! I'm still having a great time, although I believe culture shock is setting in a little. The newness of Paris as worn off and now, I'm just trying to settle into my new life here as best as I can. I have good days and bad days, happy days and sad days. Contrary to what some people might think, it's not always glamorous here in Paris. This is not a vacation for me. I moved here...for a year...to work...so I have to deal with the ins and outs of everyday life just like I did in Nashville, except now I am in Paris.(**the following was written on April 9. haha just thought I'd share that :) ) Yes it's a great city; it's gorgeous here and there is a lot of history and a lot to see and do. But, this is a whole new adventure for me and I'm still trying to get used to it.
Onto other news...I am going to Amsterdam next week and I am really excited about it! This is the first of hopefully many trips that I will take while I'm here. There are 6 of us going...all au pairs...so money is pretty tight. One friend and I are taking a bus(because it was 60 euros cheaper than the train). It'll take us about 8 hours to get there, but we're traveling at night so we'll be able to sleep(please pray for my sanity! haha) I will definitely be taking lots of pictures and trying to avoid the legal drugs and the Red Light District as much as I can! I think..no, I know it'll make me sad to walk through there. I'll fill ya'll in about it when I get back. There are also a few museums we're going to check out, as well as the Keukenhof Gardens, which has 7 million flowers and is only open 2 months out of the year(and we just so happen to be going during that time!!) The Netherlands are known for their tulips and tulips are my FAVORITE flower!! Can you tell I'm excited?!! After I get back from Amsterdam, I have 1 day in Paris then I'm off to one of the grandmother's houses in the province of Burgundy. I will be there with the girls for 4 days. I'm excited to see another part of France...and I think she lives on a farm so that should be pretty interesting. Also, I asked the grandmother if she would teach me how to make Madeline's(cookies that are sooo good!) So, I will be in the country, cooking and baking..french style, attempting to learn more french, and speaking English to the girls...all at the same time. How's that for multitasking?!
Alright...it's late and I need to go to bed. I have class in the morning. Oh..AND....I am OFFICIALLY promising that I will write a new entry every week. If you know me at all, you know that when I promise something, I always follow through. So...be prepared to read about me and my adventures EVERY week!! Who knows, you might get sick of me in a month! haha
A Bientot!!
Au revoir!
Jessi
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Paris vs Nashville
Bonjour Ya'll!
Well, I'm getting internet in my apartment this week and you don't even know how happy that makes me!! No more McDonald's!!! I might have to have a moment of silence or something..ha...yeah right!!! There is a technician coming to my apartment on Monday to set things up or something like that. I received all of the information on Friday; cable box, the Livebox, which is the source of internet, cable and phone. I started setting everything up, with French directions no less, but I have to wait for the technician to open the lines or something. I'm not even sure what he's going to do but I don't care as long as I have internet and phone in my apartment!
Ok..so here are a few differences between Paris and America. Everything is smaller here; people, food portions, apartments. You don't leave home without your scarf, gloves and umbrella. You never know what the weather will be like. A lot of places, restaurants, bars, stores, have the men and women's bathrooms together. Can I just say how weird it is to come out of a stall and be washing your hands right beside a guy?! I still haven't gotten used to it, nor do I want to. Europeans in general are very open so they don't think anything about it. I just find it weird. haha Some of you might not want to hear this next one but it's a part of life here. People do not pick up after their dogs. And since we're in a big city, there isn't much grass around, so you can imagine what it looks like. It's like trying to walk around landmines or something!! Luckily, I have managed to miss the mines...for now!! Most places close between 7 and 9 at night and are closed on Sundays, sometimes even Mondays too. It just depends on the store. It's not like in the States where you can go to Walmart or Kroger and pick up a few things at midnight if you want. And, everything is more expensive over here....which is why I REALLY miss Walmart and Target:(
If you rely on the public transportation system here, you HAVE to know the schedules; arrival and departure times, the times of the first and last metros, and if you take the bus, which buses go where and when. Or....you will get stranded, on the other side of Paris, knowing where you are but not knowing how you're going to get home, and getting propositioned by a guy on the street and ending up having to pay 18 Euros for a taxi. Not that I know this from personal experience or anything:) The metro(subway) is awesome and I wish Nashville had it...which will never happen because Nashville isn't big enough. I'm really liking this whole not having to drive thing. I walk everywhere and take the metro or the bus. I love finding my way around the system and the city. It's like a challenge for me and I always manage to get to where I want to go. I feel so accomplished when that happens! ha Until you are in a city with a massive public transportation system, you don't realize how much you rely on your car and how much time you spend driving.
Alright, well those are just a few differences between Paris and The State, mainly Nashville. I'll write more soon. I have to go home and clean. I'm hosting movie night tonight so it should be fun!
Bon journee!!!(Have a good day!)
Well, I'm getting internet in my apartment this week and you don't even know how happy that makes me!! No more McDonald's!!! I might have to have a moment of silence or something..ha...yeah right!!! There is a technician coming to my apartment on Monday to set things up or something like that. I received all of the information on Friday; cable box, the Livebox, which is the source of internet, cable and phone. I started setting everything up, with French directions no less, but I have to wait for the technician to open the lines or something. I'm not even sure what he's going to do but I don't care as long as I have internet and phone in my apartment!
Ok..so here are a few differences between Paris and America. Everything is smaller here; people, food portions, apartments. You don't leave home without your scarf, gloves and umbrella. You never know what the weather will be like. A lot of places, restaurants, bars, stores, have the men and women's bathrooms together. Can I just say how weird it is to come out of a stall and be washing your hands right beside a guy?! I still haven't gotten used to it, nor do I want to. Europeans in general are very open so they don't think anything about it. I just find it weird. haha Some of you might not want to hear this next one but it's a part of life here. People do not pick up after their dogs. And since we're in a big city, there isn't much grass around, so you can imagine what it looks like. It's like trying to walk around landmines or something!! Luckily, I have managed to miss the mines...for now!! Most places close between 7 and 9 at night and are closed on Sundays, sometimes even Mondays too. It just depends on the store. It's not like in the States where you can go to Walmart or Kroger and pick up a few things at midnight if you want. And, everything is more expensive over here....which is why I REALLY miss Walmart and Target:(
If you rely on the public transportation system here, you HAVE to know the schedules; arrival and departure times, the times of the first and last metros, and if you take the bus, which buses go where and when. Or....you will get stranded, on the other side of Paris, knowing where you are but not knowing how you're going to get home, and getting propositioned by a guy on the street and ending up having to pay 18 Euros for a taxi. Not that I know this from personal experience or anything:) The metro(subway) is awesome and I wish Nashville had it...which will never happen because Nashville isn't big enough. I'm really liking this whole not having to drive thing. I walk everywhere and take the metro or the bus. I love finding my way around the system and the city. It's like a challenge for me and I always manage to get to where I want to go. I feel so accomplished when that happens! ha Until you are in a city with a massive public transportation system, you don't realize how much you rely on your car and how much time you spend driving.
Alright, well those are just a few differences between Paris and The State, mainly Nashville. I'll write more soon. I have to go home and clean. I'm hosting movie night tonight so it should be fun!
Bon journee!!!(Have a good day!)
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Bonjour Ya’ll!
Well….I have officially moved into my apartment and I have to say….I LOVE IT!!! I have wanted my own place for so long and now that I finally do, all I want to do is decorate it and get things organized (right now my parents are laughing hysterically at the thought of me getting things organized :). The only downside is the fact that it technically isn’t my apartment; which means I can’t do everything to it that I want to. But the family has furnished it and are providing everything that I need, and that is a total blessing. This whole set-up is a blessing. Au pairs usually live with the family or have a room somewhere; not their own apartment! I can’t wait to have people over for dinner and movie nights….and people who might want to come visit! Listen to me…I just got my own place and I’m already wanting people in it! Ha Well I think there is only so much quiet I can take. I’m a people person; what can I say!
There is so much to talk about that I don’t even know where to begin. I’d love it if ya’ll would let me know what ya’ll want me to talk about. That would help me out so much! That way, I could write a couple of shorter blogs each week about different topics. Please email me and let me know what you think.
Well, each week has gotten easier and easier and I have more and more fun as time goes on. I have met a lot of people and that has been great. It’s funny, when I hear English being spoken, I automatically perk up and usually go ask where they are from. Most of the time they are from the U.S. and I get so excited! It’s like we should be friends just because we are Americans, living in Paris and speaking English! We have 3 things in common….why not become friends! Haha And let me just say that Facebook has taken over the world. No matter who you are, where you’re from or what language you speak, you know what Facebook is; and more than likely you have one. I’m glad I got over my “I hate Facebook and I will never have one” phase! Ha One thing I could do without is all of the smoking. I’m pretty sure around 70% of the people in Paris smoke. I feel like I walk through smoke all of the time…but most places are non-smoking or have designated smoking areas which makes it tolerable…but I still hate it.
I’m ready to have internet in my apartment. Since I’ve lived in my apartment(almost 2 weeks), I’ve been coming to McDonald’s most every night to use their free Wi-Fi. Yes…I live in Paris and I’m at McDonald’s all of the time!! Hopefully by next week or so I won’t be here….EVER AGAIN!! Haha They have a playlist that plays the same songs over and over and over! It makes me want to pull my hair out!! I do have a life…I promise!! I do meet people and go out and explore Paris. I’ve been to a few museums and I’ve been to several parts of the city. Paris is huge and it amazes me that I probably haven’t even seen a ¼ of it. I can’t wait for the weather to get better so I can explore more. Exploring when it’s freezing and/or raining is not so much fun. I usually stay in my neighborhood during the week, mainly because a lot of the au pairs I’m friends with live on the other side of Paris or right outside of the city and most of them have to get up early for work. We tend to hangout the whole weekend though which is great. I’m having a get together at my place this Saturday so that should fun.
Alright…well…I’m done for now. It’s getting a little long. ha I’m serious…PLEASE give me some ideas on what you want to hear about. It would help me out so much! I’ve already gotten some ideas so please keep them coming!! I hope all is well with all of you!! God Bless! Talk to ya’ll soon!
Au Revoir!
Jessi
Well….I have officially moved into my apartment and I have to say….I LOVE IT!!! I have wanted my own place for so long and now that I finally do, all I want to do is decorate it and get things organized (right now my parents are laughing hysterically at the thought of me getting things organized :). The only downside is the fact that it technically isn’t my apartment; which means I can’t do everything to it that I want to. But the family has furnished it and are providing everything that I need, and that is a total blessing. This whole set-up is a blessing. Au pairs usually live with the family or have a room somewhere; not their own apartment! I can’t wait to have people over for dinner and movie nights….and people who might want to come visit! Listen to me…I just got my own place and I’m already wanting people in it! Ha Well I think there is only so much quiet I can take. I’m a people person; what can I say!
There is so much to talk about that I don’t even know where to begin. I’d love it if ya’ll would let me know what ya’ll want me to talk about. That would help me out so much! That way, I could write a couple of shorter blogs each week about different topics. Please email me and let me know what you think.
Well, each week has gotten easier and easier and I have more and more fun as time goes on. I have met a lot of people and that has been great. It’s funny, when I hear English being spoken, I automatically perk up and usually go ask where they are from. Most of the time they are from the U.S. and I get so excited! It’s like we should be friends just because we are Americans, living in Paris and speaking English! We have 3 things in common….why not become friends! Haha And let me just say that Facebook has taken over the world. No matter who you are, where you’re from or what language you speak, you know what Facebook is; and more than likely you have one. I’m glad I got over my “I hate Facebook and I will never have one” phase! Ha One thing I could do without is all of the smoking. I’m pretty sure around 70% of the people in Paris smoke. I feel like I walk through smoke all of the time…but most places are non-smoking or have designated smoking areas which makes it tolerable…but I still hate it.
I’m ready to have internet in my apartment. Since I’ve lived in my apartment(almost 2 weeks), I’ve been coming to McDonald’s most every night to use their free Wi-Fi. Yes…I live in Paris and I’m at McDonald’s all of the time!! Hopefully by next week or so I won’t be here….EVER AGAIN!! Haha They have a playlist that plays the same songs over and over and over! It makes me want to pull my hair out!! I do have a life…I promise!! I do meet people and go out and explore Paris. I’ve been to a few museums and I’ve been to several parts of the city. Paris is huge and it amazes me that I probably haven’t even seen a ¼ of it. I can’t wait for the weather to get better so I can explore more. Exploring when it’s freezing and/or raining is not so much fun. I usually stay in my neighborhood during the week, mainly because a lot of the au pairs I’m friends with live on the other side of Paris or right outside of the city and most of them have to get up early for work. We tend to hangout the whole weekend though which is great. I’m having a get together at my place this Saturday so that should fun.
Alright…well…I’m done for now. It’s getting a little long. ha I’m serious…PLEASE give me some ideas on what you want to hear about. It would help me out so much! I’ve already gotten some ideas so please keep them coming!! I hope all is well with all of you!! God Bless! Talk to ya’ll soon!
Au Revoir!
Jessi
Monday, January 26, 2009
I'm still in Paris!
Bonjour Ya’ll!
Well, week 3 is over and done with and Paris is…well…Paris. It is still the City of Lights, it’s still a romantic city, and it is still where I am spending the next 11 months of my life. Ha I wish I could tell you that I have had some amazing adventures but I haven’t yet, but like I said before, I still have 11 months! I have however met some really cool people and seen some really cool places. I have been hanging out with a group of au pairs from different parts of the world which has been so much fun. The only downside is the fact that we speak English to each other so we aren’t practicing our French! But I think there will plenty of time for me to practice my French. I am the newest girl in the group. Everyone else has been here since August or September. That fact alone has helped me realize that everything that I have been feeling and/or will feel is totally normal and everyone has gone through it. I also met a guy while I was waiting in line to apply for my green card(the 2nd time) who is from Portland, Oregon and a girl from Texas while waiting in the same line(the 1st time). It’s amazing who you can meet while waiting in a line, over and over and over again! Haha
Let’s see…since my last blog, I’ve gone to the U.S. Embassy and was irritated for the first time since I’ve been here….and I was dealing with Americans!!! I had an issue with the kiosk that gives you a number so you can wait to be seen. Apparently the woman I spoke to about the kiosk thought I was an idiot and that I didn’t know how to work it. I told her it was probably out of paper and after 20 minutes of having to check, double check, getting 2 random men to check the kiosk with me(that is their policy), guess what the consensus was…..the kiosk was out of paper!! I finally got a number and after another 45 minutes, the same woman asked why I was still there….that all the numbers had been called. I made it very clear that my number had definitely not been called. Luckily there was a woman who was there with me whose number hadn’t been called either. Turns out, the Embassy couldn’t help me with what I came for anyway! Haha C’est la vie!!! And... I successfully applied for my green card last week, after the 4th try. FINALLY!!
I started my French classes last week and they are going well. I can’t believe how much you forget if you don’t use it. I also went to a new church on Friday and I loved it!! It’s the Hillsong Church-Paris so I will probably start going there. It was great to be in a room filled with people who love Jesus. I also watched the inauguration on CNN. It was an indescribable feeling being in another country, watching my country swear in my new president. Let’s just say I prayed a lot that day! Oh, and I move into my apartment this weekend!! I got a chance to see it this past Saturday and I’m excited to have a place of my own. I’ll post pictures when I am completely settled in.
Well, I think that’s all for now. I think I'm going to have to start writing myself notes throughout the week to remind myself of what I want to share with everyone! That or just write more often...I haven't decided what to do yet! I still don't know why God so graciously handed me this amazing opportunity and I'm starting to realize that it's probably not for me to know why...well, at least not now anyway. I am supposed to enjoy this experience and receive this blessing and know that God only does good and IS good. That alone is what I will stand on throughout my time here…and beyond!
Love you and miss you all!!
Jessi
Well, week 3 is over and done with and Paris is…well…Paris. It is still the City of Lights, it’s still a romantic city, and it is still where I am spending the next 11 months of my life. Ha I wish I could tell you that I have had some amazing adventures but I haven’t yet, but like I said before, I still have 11 months! I have however met some really cool people and seen some really cool places. I have been hanging out with a group of au pairs from different parts of the world which has been so much fun. The only downside is the fact that we speak English to each other so we aren’t practicing our French! But I think there will plenty of time for me to practice my French. I am the newest girl in the group. Everyone else has been here since August or September. That fact alone has helped me realize that everything that I have been feeling and/or will feel is totally normal and everyone has gone through it. I also met a guy while I was waiting in line to apply for my green card(the 2nd time) who is from Portland, Oregon and a girl from Texas while waiting in the same line(the 1st time). It’s amazing who you can meet while waiting in a line, over and over and over again! Haha
Let’s see…since my last blog, I’ve gone to the U.S. Embassy and was irritated for the first time since I’ve been here….and I was dealing with Americans!!! I had an issue with the kiosk that gives you a number so you can wait to be seen. Apparently the woman I spoke to about the kiosk thought I was an idiot and that I didn’t know how to work it. I told her it was probably out of paper and after 20 minutes of having to check, double check, getting 2 random men to check the kiosk with me(that is their policy), guess what the consensus was…..the kiosk was out of paper!! I finally got a number and after another 45 minutes, the same woman asked why I was still there….that all the numbers had been called. I made it very clear that my number had definitely not been called. Luckily there was a woman who was there with me whose number hadn’t been called either. Turns out, the Embassy couldn’t help me with what I came for anyway! Haha C’est la vie!!! And... I successfully applied for my green card last week, after the 4th try. FINALLY!!
I started my French classes last week and they are going well. I can’t believe how much you forget if you don’t use it. I also went to a new church on Friday and I loved it!! It’s the Hillsong Church-Paris so I will probably start going there. It was great to be in a room filled with people who love Jesus. I also watched the inauguration on CNN. It was an indescribable feeling being in another country, watching my country swear in my new president. Let’s just say I prayed a lot that day! Oh, and I move into my apartment this weekend!! I got a chance to see it this past Saturday and I’m excited to have a place of my own. I’ll post pictures when I am completely settled in.
Well, I think that’s all for now. I think I'm going to have to start writing myself notes throughout the week to remind myself of what I want to share with everyone! That or just write more often...I haven't decided what to do yet! I still don't know why God so graciously handed me this amazing opportunity and I'm starting to realize that it's probably not for me to know why...well, at least not now anyway. I am supposed to enjoy this experience and receive this blessing and know that God only does good and IS good. That alone is what I will stand on throughout my time here…and beyond!
Love you and miss you all!!
Jessi
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
1st Week in Paris
Bonjour Y’all!!
I thought I’d put a little southern flare on the French Hello! As asked for by many of you, I have finally gotten around to updating everyone on how it’s going here in Paris. I have been here a week and I can honestly say that I love it here! All of my anxiety and fears have been replaced with excitement and curiosity. God has totally blessed me with this amazing opportunity and I’m enjoying finding Him in everything I see and do.
For those of you who don’t know, I moved to Paris, France on January 5 to be an au pair, which is a fancy word for nanny. If you know all of this already you can skip to the next paragraph:). I met the family (Olivier-dad, Orelie-mom, Capucine, and Rose-children) in Nashville while the 2 girls, Capucine and Rose, were going to school at FRA. They are from Paris but were in Nashville for 2 years for Olivier’s job. I received an email about how they were moving back to Paris and were looking for a native English speaking girl to come to Paris with them and watch the girls and help them continue to use their English. It sounded interesting so I emailed the mom to ask her about it. That was the beginning of September and by mid-October, I had committed to moving to Paris for a year. I still can’t believe I’m here. I think I have one of the best set-ups that an au-pair can have. The family is paying for most everything, including my own apartment. It was too great of an opportunity to pass up. So that leads you into me actually arriving in Paris.
My first task was to make my way through the Paris airport, go through customs, get my luggage AND find a taxi…all by myself!! As soon as I stepped off the plane though, my fears were laid to rest because everything was really easy to find. Everything was well marked, in French and in English, and there were pictures that corresponded with each sign. Yay me!! The only thing I had trouble with was the darn payphone at the airport. It seriously took me 20 minutes to figure it out! I eventually made it to my family’s apartment, by taxi. Seeing Orelie was a relief because I felt like I could relax….and accomplished. I actually did this…all by myself!! The next couple of days were filled with errands and paperwork. Orelie went with me for some things, the others I had to do on my own. Apparently paperwork and legalization is a pain in every country. As of now, I have applied for my green card twice, and each time they told me I needed something else. I’m hoping by this time next week the 3rd time will be the charm.
On to lighter news, the food here is amazing!! Everything I have eaten has been great. I buy fresh bread everyday for the family, which is a must here. There are pastry shops and chocolate shops everywhere. I am in heaven! I have also become a fan of Nutella. It seriously is amazing. I had a crepe nutella on Sunday as I was walking near the Eiffel Tower. I ended up getting a sugar headache but it was well worth it.
As for transportation, I have become a big fan of the Metro, which is the subway system here. I have been very proud of myself for being able to navigate it so well. And, I walk….a lot. Which is why I don’t mind having the bread and chocolate because I eventually walk it off!!! Once you know what you’re looking for and if you know how to read a map, getting around the city is a piece of cake. I haven’t done many touristy things yet but I will eventually. On Sunday I went to church at the American Church in Paris. It was good and I’ll probably go back, but I still want to explore the other churches here. The American Church is really close to the Eiffel Tower so I walked there after church. From a distance I thought, “It’s not so big”. But as I actually walked up to it, I was mistaken! The bottom part of it makes it huge, in my opinion. And, I didn’t realize you could walk underneath it, but you can. I can’t wait to see it lit up at night. I can see why they call this a romantic city. There are parks everywhere and even during the winter, when the trees are bare and there is snow and ice on the ground, it’s peaceful and relaxing and you take your time and enjoy being here.
Well, I think I’ve written enough for now. I’ll try and write something every week, or at least every couple of weeks. New and interesting things happen all of the time so I can’t wait to share them with you! For example, the power went out while I was typing this. It was off for about an hour. It came on just in time for me to post it!!
I hope this finds all of you well!! If you have any questions that I didn’t answer in this, please ask me! I don’t mind answering questions. I’ll try and fill you in as much as I can. I love ya’ll and I can’t wait to share more soon!
Au revoir!
Jessi
I thought I’d put a little southern flare on the French Hello! As asked for by many of you, I have finally gotten around to updating everyone on how it’s going here in Paris. I have been here a week and I can honestly say that I love it here! All of my anxiety and fears have been replaced with excitement and curiosity. God has totally blessed me with this amazing opportunity and I’m enjoying finding Him in everything I see and do.
For those of you who don’t know, I moved to Paris, France on January 5 to be an au pair, which is a fancy word for nanny. If you know all of this already you can skip to the next paragraph:). I met the family (Olivier-dad, Orelie-mom, Capucine, and Rose-children) in Nashville while the 2 girls, Capucine and Rose, were going to school at FRA. They are from Paris but were in Nashville for 2 years for Olivier’s job. I received an email about how they were moving back to Paris and were looking for a native English speaking girl to come to Paris with them and watch the girls and help them continue to use their English. It sounded interesting so I emailed the mom to ask her about it. That was the beginning of September and by mid-October, I had committed to moving to Paris for a year. I still can’t believe I’m here. I think I have one of the best set-ups that an au-pair can have. The family is paying for most everything, including my own apartment. It was too great of an opportunity to pass up. So that leads you into me actually arriving in Paris.
My first task was to make my way through the Paris airport, go through customs, get my luggage AND find a taxi…all by myself!! As soon as I stepped off the plane though, my fears were laid to rest because everything was really easy to find. Everything was well marked, in French and in English, and there were pictures that corresponded with each sign. Yay me!! The only thing I had trouble with was the darn payphone at the airport. It seriously took me 20 minutes to figure it out! I eventually made it to my family’s apartment, by taxi. Seeing Orelie was a relief because I felt like I could relax….and accomplished. I actually did this…all by myself!! The next couple of days were filled with errands and paperwork. Orelie went with me for some things, the others I had to do on my own. Apparently paperwork and legalization is a pain in every country. As of now, I have applied for my green card twice, and each time they told me I needed something else. I’m hoping by this time next week the 3rd time will be the charm.
On to lighter news, the food here is amazing!! Everything I have eaten has been great. I buy fresh bread everyday for the family, which is a must here. There are pastry shops and chocolate shops everywhere. I am in heaven! I have also become a fan of Nutella. It seriously is amazing. I had a crepe nutella on Sunday as I was walking near the Eiffel Tower. I ended up getting a sugar headache but it was well worth it.
As for transportation, I have become a big fan of the Metro, which is the subway system here. I have been very proud of myself for being able to navigate it so well. And, I walk….a lot. Which is why I don’t mind having the bread and chocolate because I eventually walk it off!!! Once you know what you’re looking for and if you know how to read a map, getting around the city is a piece of cake. I haven’t done many touristy things yet but I will eventually. On Sunday I went to church at the American Church in Paris. It was good and I’ll probably go back, but I still want to explore the other churches here. The American Church is really close to the Eiffel Tower so I walked there after church. From a distance I thought, “It’s not so big”. But as I actually walked up to it, I was mistaken! The bottom part of it makes it huge, in my opinion. And, I didn’t realize you could walk underneath it, but you can. I can’t wait to see it lit up at night. I can see why they call this a romantic city. There are parks everywhere and even during the winter, when the trees are bare and there is snow and ice on the ground, it’s peaceful and relaxing and you take your time and enjoy being here.
Well, I think I’ve written enough for now. I’ll try and write something every week, or at least every couple of weeks. New and interesting things happen all of the time so I can’t wait to share them with you! For example, the power went out while I was typing this. It was off for about an hour. It came on just in time for me to post it!!
I hope this finds all of you well!! If you have any questions that I didn’t answer in this, please ask me! I don’t mind answering questions. I’ll try and fill you in as much as I can. I love ya’ll and I can’t wait to share more soon!
Au revoir!
Jessi
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