I am not sure...

That I actually love Ikea as much as I initially thought. Ok so maybe that is a bit exaggerated because I spent hours yesterday constructing various things from there but some of those products I was raving about were a bit more difficult once I saw them in lots of pieces, in lots of boxes all over my friends new apartment yesterday. See the thing with Paris, and I am not sure how it is throughout the rest of the country, is that when you move into a new apartment here unless it is furnished it has NOTHING. And the NOTHING is not an exaggeration. No sink, no fridge, no dishwasher, no washer, no dryer just a whole lot of nothing. In a way it is exciting because you have the opportunity to really customize your space but then there is the whole process of putting it together. Case in point - yesterday. I am not sure I have ev seen so. Many boxes, screws, and styrofoam ever in my entire life. But with a few sets of hands, some pizza and a lot of swearing - everything came together quite nicely. The work yesterday has also lead me to a day of nothing today. Movies, couch, Francais homework and trying to make all the nails I broke yesterday look somewhat pretty again....

Jammin.

Woke up in a lovely mood today and when trying to figure out how to say it in French, a friend was instantly reminded (SIDENOTE:: and he is very often instantly reminded when someone says a word or phrase that just so happens to be in a popular song... take "hello ... is it me your looking for......" It's classic and one of the most hysterical things ever) of this little tune:

So not only was I informed how to say "Good, good mood this morning (bonne bonne humeur ce matin)" in French, but I was introduced to a little piece of French pop cultural and who doesn't love the awesome Batman shirts??!!!

Sunday in Paris

I have no idea why but I woke up this morning with this overwhelming feeling of "I cant believe I live in Paris!" Nothing significant or life changing happened in the last 48 hours to cause this revelation it just sort of set in and woke me up thinking. Maybe it was the exploration of a new area last night, filled with restaurants and jazz clubs, maybe it was the sun coming through my bedroom window this morning, or the sound of the pigeons fighting outside (the big one definitely won) but whatever it was it just reminded me how lucky I am to be HERE!  So to celebrate that this morning I am lounging on my window seat, with the windows opened, sun coming in, drinking my coffee and reading my new favorite book "Dirty French". I am sure you are wondering what exactly Dirty French is and I have to be honest it is exactly what it sounds like. The guide to every bad word, French pick-up line and insult you could ever possible need in this pretty little city. Who said studying French had to be serious????

the SOLDES are back

It is that time of year again here in Paris. SOLDES!!! That’s right – this time for the goodies of Hiver (winter) and let me tell you they are in full force. It is actually crazy how many more people are packed into le magazines (shops) around town and the bigger stores are just a disaster waiting to happen. But when you think about it why wouldn’t they be?? When there are that many pairs of boots and jackets on sale – who wouldn’t want to be in the store reaping all of those benefits?? I have decided that since I have done NO shopping since I returned here after Christmas that I deserve a little treat. Friday – I have taken the day off and I plan on marching myself around this city to find the best of the best deals. I won’t lie I don’t have anything specific that I am on the market for but that will make this be a fun little adventure …. searching for the kind of prices and things (most likely shoes) that I cannot live another day without!!

Ikea

So. I am exhausted ( one too many late nights- sometimes I feel like I am back to my 20 year old self staying up all night here)and stuck on the Metro. I'm not sure what is going on even though the man keeps making announcements over the tin can they call an intercom. But some dude just tossed half a baguette and started swearing ( these are French words I picked up early on in my stay here). Of course I finished my book this morning so why not pass the time with a little update on life in Paris. Had my first Ikea trip this weekend and let me tell you: BRILLIANT. Simply brilliant. I left and haven't stopped thinking about that place since the automatic doors almost closed me and my giant blue bag filled with goodies in between them. It is like a giant playgroun with fake kitchens and bedrooms and bathrooms taking over the top floor. I can only imagine the bad ass game of hide and seek you could play there. The lower level is a treasure hunt of just about everything you could possibly want from candles, clocks, bedding, toliet brushes, kitchen appliances to candy!! unreal. I am still dreaming about everything I left there. The thought of lugging new dishes back to Paris by train, bus and foot was lessthan appealing. Why do we not have Ilea everywhere in the states?? I woulblike to think it would be beyond a lucrative business!!

Oh joy. Bread throwing and swear screaming man left and the train is back on the move. Bed here I come!!

The River Seine

Cofffee break time, along with lunch time and well just about all the times we have lead to very interesting conversations. Over coffee a few days ago I was chit chatting to everyone about the MONSTER blizzard everyone at home (well in the US, I've found myself refering to Paris as home a few times...) was experiencing. 2 feet of snow in some places, I don't remember the last time or if I have ever seen that much snow at once. And I digressed as usual but back on track, the snow conversation led to a conversation about how the Seine was overflowing here and flooding some of the banks in Paris. The river is quite big and along most places it is surrounedd by benches and pathways for people to walk. I am secretly hoping it keeps flooding over the weekend so I can go take some photos. For me when I think of a river or a lake or anythign flooding it is because of th esnow melting and causing a big rush of water. So my mind began racing and racing and I became curious as to why this river was overflowing, is there snow melting somewhere (it has been in the 40's here for days on end now) causing this normally calm body of water to take over?? So I asked and being surrounded by French I figured it would almost be a "silly" question. Turns out...it was a very good one!! Google quickly became our friend as we searched. Interested to find out where the Seine begins????

Click Here  --->  The Seine - How Stuff Works!! OR Click Here  ---> Bonjour to the Seine

Expat Expo

Confession - I love the Flag for Follow up option on our Lotus Notes email at work. Without this nifty little feature I think I would drown when it comes to answering important emails or remembering the emails I open when I am super busy but would LOVE to go back to. Now the other confession is that sometimes I use it to flag some very important maybe not so work related things... like the one I had set today. About 2 months ago I was forwarded a link to an Expat Expo that will be taking place in Paris during the first week of  February. Now two months ago this was definitely the last thing on my mind - exactly why the reminder feature is so useful - but today I was more than happy to see it pop up and did a little exploring. The expo will take place for three days in February and covers pretty much ANYTHING an expat here in Paris would want to know. You would think that after almost 7 months here (GULP - I just realised that by the time this rolls around it will be over 8 months since I arrived!!) I would know everything that I need to know but it simply does not work like that. If I had to break it down I would say I spent the first 3 months just trying to get adjusted to the fact that I live in Paris ( 1 month was spent just trying to sleep at night), the next three months I was finally comfortable enough to get started with my French lessons, actually go into a bakery when there were other people in line, start to go out with some friends, meet new people and even travel a little, that leads us to about a month ago when I realized that it is time to really get settled in because I am not going anywhere for awhile!! So after a little exploring on the website I think that this could be the perfect little kick in the right direction.

This little expo offers everything from:

• Conferences on Successful Integration (I am working on this one but I am sure they will tell me to speak more quietly in the Metro!)
• The Challenges faced When Learning French (This one really caught my eye and I am pretty sure I could actually lead this conference)
• Cooking Demonstration (Ok.. this is obvious... We all know I will be at this one, need volunteers for taste testing? YES please!)
• A Guide to your Style Profile (This one is about as obvious as the one above - shoes, bags, jackets, shopping in general, I am SOOOO there)
• How to Make the Most of Paris (This one just seems like it would be silly to not attend)

 Now that you have seen all that I am sure you agree it would be incredibly silly for me NOT to attend. If not for myself but for everyone that has been dealing with me and my French lessons, getting lost everywhere I go and enteratining me : )  Anyone want to join?????

Blah

Why is it that I can be a fully functioning grown up who has been living on my own for years, works a full time job, I support myself and do just fine but when I start to not feel well all I want is my pj's, Mac and cheese and my Mommy? It is like every ounce of adultness leaks out of my body and I go back in time like 15 years. Someone should invent some sort of teleportation thing to send Mommy's to their sick daughters. Now I am not sure if this same digression happens in men (do they sneeze and all the sudden want their mom too?) but if it does then I'd be willing to share this teleportation plan with them too. The worst part about all of this is that it's my first weekend back in Paris and it is actually almost nice out (well it looks almost nice out) and I haven't moved from my bed for almost 18 hours. Blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Bonne Année

Ahhhhhh. Back home after the first day of work for 2011. I have to be honest it actually felt really good to wake up and get back into my little routine. Especially walking to work. I didn't realize how much I missed using my two little feet (ok so they aren't so little but that is beside the point!) to get myself around town. Now when it comes to missing the metro and my seriously close morning encounters I can not say the same. Don't get me wrong, I loved being home and relaxing more than anything but I think I will keep those vacations as a treat. So anyway apparently along with kissing everyone hello upon a return from the New Year holiday you also should greet them with two little phrases. Normally I would be all for this but after almost two weeks of no French and some jet lag it just seemed really intimidating. The little expression goes as follows:

Bonne année et bonne santé !

The first part which I heard many,many,many times today honestly sounds like a person saying banaknees. Sort of part banana and part knee. I'm sure I won't forget that saying now!

Happy New Year

Ok. So it has been awhile. It is a New Year and I am deciding I need to get back in blog action. I am currently standing at the baggage claim of terminal 2 at the airport in Paris. Waiting and waiting and waiting to pick up my TWO incredibly over packed bags from my journey back to the states. I am fresh off of an almost two week vacation/visit. A very good time. The holidays were beyond fantastic and it was refreshing and eye opening to be back in NH. I guess I'll have to finish this one later. The baggage belt is a rocking and I want out, a taxi and my apartment!!!