Day 25-27

Determined to update.  I sit in the subway, bus, whatever and I always think about what I want to write about, what I want to remember, and then I forget what it was.  Even right now I'm having issues trying to get at what it was that was making me itch to write.

Yesterday I had my 830 am french class which went pretty well.  I'm definitely getting more and more  confident with the little bit I know.  In four months...hopefully I'll know a lot.  After class I talked with Anna at school some but hurried home for a much desired nap.  A nap that probably lasted too long. But I needed it.  I was back up by the time Sasha got home...at least mostly and had to go to the apple store to get my new charger.  Sasha was exhausted so I could not wake her up which meant doing it on my own.  Normally that wouldn't bother me but the language barrier does cause some anxiety.  Kirsten met me there for moral support but I did it on my own.  The guy barely spoke any English so he couldn't question me on the charger like I'm sure they would have in the states, so now I have a new charger and it was really no hassle.

By the time I was done at the apple store Sasha had come to meet up with me.  Not a big deal because there are tons of things to do around the Louvre and we both needed to get out of the house where all we end up doing is sitting online or napping.  I bought a map from Borders before I left that listed a bunch of good places to go in Paris, one was Angelina.  All we could remember was what road it was on and that it was right near the Louvre.  So we wandered.  Eventually we found a purse shop where I finally got a new purse.  They were on sale for 15 euros.  The original prices on the ones around it were around 60 or 70 so I'm thinking I got a good deal.  My previous purse survived Russia, a cold season at the roadhouse of being stuffed under the host stand, and 25 days in Paris.  For $30, I definitely got my money worth out of it.  We asked the woman, who was kind enough to get me a new copy of the purse that hadn't been pawed over, where Angelina was, and of course we had headed the wrong direction from the museum.  But if we hadn't I would still be carrying around a ratty purse.

We walked about fifteen minutes back the other way and just as we were getting there we were wondering if it would be worth it.  The line was out the door and we quickly figured out why.  Angelina is all about chocolate; chocolate pastries, hot chocolate, chocolate coffee, chocolate tea, etc, etc.  We both expected a small cafe type place, but no this was like an old tea house.  We waited only ten minutes or so before getting a table in the back.  We ordered a double order of hot chocolate and a pain au chocolate each.  Definitely should have gone with a pastry without chocolate.  The hot chocolate poured out like thick syrup.  It was the richest most amazing hot chocolate I've ever had. Therefore paired with the chocolate pastry, we downed an entire thing of water quite quickly.  The place was so cute.  There were light pink tulips everywhere and old time chairs and tables...along with a nice balcony.  Such a cute place.  It wasn't cheap, 10 euros a piece, but I definitely suggest it for anyone who comes to Paris. <3 (Jenn the tour guide :p)

When we finally made it home we had a nice chocolate coma going on and were so stuffed we couldn't eat much of dinner.  And by that point I really could have just gone to bed...I mean even with a nap I had been up since 6:45.  But we are in Paris and it's true we can sleep when we're dead...or at least on the plane back to the states.  So we tried to round some people up and go to Le Bar 10 again.  It ended up being only Maggie, Sasha, Andrew, and myself, but it was nice to just get out of the house.

Friday wasn't too terribly exciting.  I got up to read my chapter for the class I had at 3:30.  I kept saying I was going to do it before Friday, but not so much.  It was actually really interesting though.  We were reading about social theories including peace studies and feminism.  Can I just say how I hate the word feminism.  I mean really especially for liberal feminists.  They believe that men and women are completely equal, so why have a term for it that is clearly female oriented.  I'm not sure what I would prefer it was called...but feminism fits difference feminism because they are all about finding what skills women have that live up to the same level as those that men have...if that makes sense.  Unfortunately we didn't talk about any of this in class...just took an hour long essay quiz...which I finished in thirty...and talked about Iraq.  I hate talking about Iraq, though it is interesting to hear the questions foreign students have about our involvement there.  For instance "Why do the American people not pressure their government to leave Iraq?"  No one really knew how to answer that, but I mean at the very least the people did vote for change.  Whatever that means.

After class I came home for sort of a quick nap and dinner.  We had salad with cheese, fish, veggies, more cheese, and a home made apple tart.  IT was delicious, but more than filling.  Not really sure what the fish was...the French word starts with "M" but we still couldn't figure it out. It was an almost pure white fish with very little flavor, good when paired with the veggies however.  If anyone has any idea as to what it is let me know.  The apple tart has no real sugar in it when she makes them...so even more delicious.  I need new jeans though since I'm eating so well and my jeans have decided they want to fall off. 

Last night Sasha had to work so Maggie and I were trying to figure out just about anything to do.  We thought about the bars but decided we really didn't want to spend that much  money.  Instead we ran into the grocery store 5 minutes before them closing and bought snacks and what we thought was a cheap bottle of wine.  Getting home Maggie opened said bottle of "wine" and the cork when flying.  Clearly not wine.  Champagne.  Either way it was hilarious and not bad for 4 euros. We still don't know what we were celebrating, except for a lame night in Paris.  It was fun though and I made it through 2 of the Bourne movies, now watching the third while I write this.

So overall it wasn't too exciting of a couple days but pretty relaxing.  Sasha and I were on the metro the other day going over the Seine river when she looked out and said "We live in a beautiful city, I mean look at this, this place is beautiful, and we get to live here."  She is so right.  I mean even with the trash on the streets, the guys yelling behind us as we walk down the street, the disgusting Seine, this place has a beauty all of its own.  I mean glancing outside and watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle on the hour?  There is something to be said for that.

As for today I wanted to go to a private sale in the middle of the city, but it's around 15 degrees outside and "lightly snowing" so, so far lounging and possibly getting some school work done is seeming like a better idea.  Should probably do some laundry too. Started my day with an hour long conversation with someone at home so really today can't go bad after that good start. :)

Au Revoir.