home sweet homa

Made it back to Oklahoma safe and sound.

What a truly amazing experience I had in France. I am glad to be back but already anxious for my next trip abroad.

Ciao.

Au revoir, Clermont-Ferrand

Today is my last day in Clermont. I leave tomorrow around 3 for Paris where I'll stay the night at an airport hotel and leave for Tulsa on Wednesday morning.

I've spent the day cleaning and packing up my room. My suitcase, hand luggage and backpack are all very full. I dont know how I've accumulated so much stuff. I've even thrown away a full bag of clothes and shoes that were not in suitable condition to take back home and I'm still pushing the limits of my luggage.

Today Larissa, Loviisa, Whitney and I are spending one last day together. We're seeing a French movie and having dinner and going out for drinks with the remaining Irish friends who are here. It is surely a bittersweet day. I am so excited to get back home but will miss the friends I've made here. I have even grown rather attached to the Ikea box room in which I have lived.

I again want to thank my parents for this semester abroad. All the traveling I've done wouldnt have been possible without you. I also want to thank the amazing group of people I've met here who really made this semester unforgettable. Vous etes mes amis pour toujours. Bon courage et à bientôt! Bisous.

Je vais manquer...

As the end of my study abroad approaches and my days and dwindling in France, I've been reflecting on my time here. I am very much looking forward to going home and seeing my family and friends but I am also anxious to return to Europe.

Things I will miss about France:
1-Baguettes for under 1 euro. Delicious, warm baguettes.
2- Banana Nutella Crepes.
3- 2 hour long lunches
4- Walking everywhere
5- having Sundays off. For real off.
6- Knowing that you will see everyone in the park on a nice day.
7- speaking French
8- these delicious chocolate banana granola bars that cost .48¢
9- Paris
10- The wonderful people I have met.

Even if I end up failing all of my classes, which let's be honest is a possibility, I have made the most of my time here. I saw things, I traveled, I learned, I spoke French, I made new lasting friendships. Parts of this trip were difficult and times I wanted to leave, but I have grown so much here and feel that I have truly become a new, stronger person since being here.

I truly believe that every single college student needs to study abroad at one point in his or her studies. For a summer, a semester or a year, get out there and just do it.

Mon amie!

Wednesday I went back to Paris to get my friend Audra. We used to work together and Norman and became quite close. She arrived in Paris around 2. After she got her bags we headed to our hostel and got all checked in.

We first went out to the Champs Elysees and saw the Arc de Triomphe. She got some money exchanged and she got to practice her French. We also grabbed a little dinner there. Then we went out to the Eiffel Tower because there was no need to wait for her to see that. She had never been to Paris so it was a must. She also took a ride on the Carrousel across the street. We walked around a bit then headed back to the Eiffel Tower at 10 for the night show. It was pretty fabulous, I wont lie.

We went back to the hostel and there was a bar at the bottom level. We ended up getting a drink and talking to some people. We got to speak in French a bit and we met some Australians and British people too. It was a pretty fun night. I dont know how she wasn't passing out from jet lag though.

The next day we went to the Moulin Rouge and Sacre Coeur. I loved Sacre Coeur. Unfortunately, it was super foggy so the view wasnt spectacular which sucked. But c'est France. We took the Open Top tour around Paris and saw some sights, until Audra started falling asleep so we went on back to the hostel for a rest. We hung out at the hostel and met a Norwegian girl and they ended up going out again that night.
It was a really great time in Paris! ..again

Now we're back in Clermont. She's going to study here for the summer. She got moved into her dorm today and is meeting up with the rest of her group. It is so nice to have another friend here. I missed her!

Nearing the end

This is my last free weekend in France. Unfortunately, I'm spending it studying not doing something super fun, but I guess this experience is called "Study Abroad." A week from today my exams start. I dont know what kind of school has exams on Saturday's but it doesn't sound like fun.

Tuesday is our last official day of school. Wednesday I'm going to Paris to pick up my friend Audra who will be studying in Clermont this summer. We're going to spend a few nights in Paris before going back to Clermont. That will truly be the end of the 5 month holiday that I've taken. I'm looking forward to seeing her and seeing her excitement because her experience will just be starting.

Yesterday we bought our train tickets from Clermont to Paris CDG for our last night in France. Larissa, Loviisa and I are staying at an airport hotel that last night before we all depart on June 6th. It was sort of bittersweet buying our one way tickets to Paris. It seems like ages ago that I first arrived in France not knowing anything, but it also seems like I have spent no time here at all. 5 months is not a long time in reality. Not enough time to do and see everything you want. Not enough time to learn everything there is to be learnt. But, when given the choice between 5 short months abroad or no time, I'd take 5 months.

Don't get me wrong, I am very excited to go home. I miss my family and my friends. I miss being able to get french fries at 11pm. I miss being able to do things on Sundays. But I will miss baguettes for .33¢ and the pace of life, and speaking in French and not having to do anything on Sundays.

I'm preparing myself for the reverse culture shock. My parents have been rearranging and painting our  house, so it won't be the same. My brother and sister-in-law just graduated college so they wont be back at OU with me in the fall, my little brother will be at OU in the fall, I wont be back at Hallmark with all my friends, I'm moving into my own apartment not just the dorm, I'm getting married. Nothing will be the same as I left it in January. But, it's exciting. I dont think I could come back from this experience and step back into the way my life was. I'm excited to be making steps forward to a new phase in my life.

Churches

Loviisa and my final day in Paris was spent at churches: St. Chapelle and Notre Dame. Both were so beautiful. It was another wonderful time in Paris. I dont think I will ever have enough of that city. There are a few more things that I have to see in that city before I leave. 1- Eiffel Tower at night. 2- Top of Sacre Coeur and Notre Dame. 3- St. Michel. I'm open to more suggestions!

Comme vous voulez.

Saturday, Loviisa's birthday, we went to Montmartre where our hotel was and saw Sacre Coeur. It's so beautiful. We didnt go inside this time, but I will when I go back in a few weeks. Then we did some shopping around the basilica. The best souvenirs are in Montmartre. 

Then we climbed up the Eiffel Tower. It was a great experience. I recommend climbing the stairs to the second level then taking the elevator all the way up. The line is shorter that way. It was a great view of Paris. We got lucky too because there was no wind at all on ground level and it was fairly warm, 65 or so and not raining. 

After that we went and saw the Arc de Triomphe again and did some shopping then headed to the hotel. it always rains when I go to the Champs Elysees. hm. 

Happy 24th Birthday Loviisa! Jeez, you are such a granny. :) 

More Paris

Because I just did't get my fill in April, I went back to Paris this weekend with Loviisa.

We took at 6 am train Friday and made it there by 9. We first headed the the Bastille, which was a bit of a let down, but oh well.

Then we went to the Musée d'Orsay. I went to the Louvre on the last trip to Paris, and I have to say that between the two I preferred Orsay. First of all, Degas' works are there and I love Degas. Also lots of Van Gough, Renoir, Monet and Manet are there as well. I guess I just prefer impressionist paintings.

Next we went to the Invalids. It was pretty cool too, especially if you like military history.

 Napoleon's tomb is in the Invalids

Then we walked to the Champs Elysees and passed the Grand and Petit Palais

To end our day, we decided to climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe

And boy did it have a good view!

Then we headed out to the airport to pick up Loviisa's friend Miia! Hauskatavata new Finnish friend!

Louvre/Versailles.

The next day, Larissa and I dropped her mom off at the airport and found our next hotel. We also did some shopping on the Champs-Élyees. That night we picked up Loviisa from the train station and saw Hunger Games in English. It was a much better experience than when we saw it in French.

During our time in Paris, Larissa, Loviisa and I went to the Louvre for a day and Versailles for a day. As it turns out, if you have a student visa for France, you get into all the sites for free because you are technically a European Union citizen between the ages of 18-25 and they get into everything for free. Now that visa hassel seems worth it, doesnt it?

The Louvre was pretty fantastic.  It's really giant. It's one of those places you really can't do all in one day. Do a wing, come back later, do another. There;s just too much.

 Venus de Milo

 Mona Lisa

 Le Louvre

 <3

Versailles was seriously spectacular. As an 18th Century France specialist. (Meaning the one French Revolution class I've taken) I was really excited to see it in person. I've learned about Versailles for ages and it met all my expectations.

 Only seen this painting in every history book I've ever had.

 Hall of Mirrors. Love love love

 Oh Marie.

 Les jardins

Paris was truly spectacular. I loved every moment I spent there. Which must be the reason I'm leaving at 6 am tomorrow morning to go back :)

If ever I am missing, firstly, check Paris.

Tuesday morning I left Rome by myself. Whitney and Dawn were headed to Amsterdam. I took a bus at 4:30 am and got to the Rome airport at 5 for my 6:55am flight to Paris. I fortunately made it through check in and security without any problems and they didn't even check to make sure my backpack was the proper size. (Which it was not.)

I took a 2 hour plane ride to Paris and landed at Paris Beauvais at 9am. Where is Paris Beauvais Airport? you ask. Out in the middle of no where. I then took a one hour long bus ride to Paris and was dropped of at Porte Maillot. Which is still in the middle of no where. My goal, as I was going to be alone in Paris for the next 7 hours was: 1- Not to get kidnapped/raped/murdered. 2- See the Eiffel Tower. 3- Open top bus tour of Paris.

I was doing fairly well, except for the Senegal boy who kept following me around (as it turned out he just didn't know how to get to the train station and was not intending to kidnap/rape/murder me. However, a friendly woman on the metro was kind enough to make sure I was alright) then the Arab man who offered to by my 1.70 Euro metro ticket to take him the other end of town as he did not speak French. (to which I replied, "No thank you." I was also keen to remind both men that I was meeting friends at the Eiffel Tower- aka super public place with loads of Americans- at 12:30 and shouldn't be late or they'd worry. Sometimes lying isn't bad, children.) Anyway, I was texting Larissa keeping her informed of the situation. (I was fine, Mom and Dad and fiancé, don't worry.)

So, I managed to get myself to the Eiffel Tower. I got off the metro and just kept walking towards it. I stopped to buy a Nutella banana crêpe then made it to the base of the tower. At this point it was noon, I was alone with my giant backpack, it was 40 degrees and raining outside, and my face was covered in Nutella. And I cried. It was the happiest moment of my life (except getting engaged of course). I finally felt like I was in France.

After finishing my crêpe, I got on the hop-on hop-off bus tour. I rode it for quite some time, but as the rain and the cold picked up I had to move down to the lower level which was packed full of people. I got off around 2:30 at Notre Dame and stopped into a café and ordered (en parfait français, bien sûr) a croque monsieur and a chocolat chaud. I sat alone in a crowded coffee shop in pure bliss. A little tourist even asked me if I lived in Paris and knew how to get to the Arc de Triomphe from where we were. Oh, the sweet joy that rushed over me. I told the truth and pulled out my map and helped him plan the best route to get there. But man, he thought I was really French! and Parisian none the less.

After my hot cocoa, I got back on the bus tour and managed to find a seat. I road it for another couple of hours. Then we stopped at the Champs-Élysées and through the window I saw a movie theatre. As I was getting mildly car sick and was cold, I promptly got up, exited the bus and bought a movie ticket for the next showing movie, which happened to be Mirror Mirror. I got a seat in the theatre, where wifi was free and flowing. I knew I'd have to leave the movie early to meet Larissa and her mom at the train station, but that was alright. The lights dim and the movie starts. And I hear Julia Robert's voice. In English. I cry again. Somehow I managed to arrive just in time for Mirror Mirror dans le version original. Praise the sweet Lord. I have never laughed harder during a movie (although that could have been in part to my Paris high).

I left half way through the movie, got Larissa and her mother and made it to our hotel.

Despite the rain and the cold, this was the best day I have ever had. Forever, a piece of my heart shall reside in Paris.

Roma Part 2

The next day we went to the Vatican. Really spectacular. We spent all day there. The Sistine Chapel was much smaller than I excepted. I thought it would be really big but it's actually a pretty small room. The ceiling was, of course, most impressive. Seeing David and God's fingers nearly touching was all I needed to see and it fulfilled my expectations. Really remarkable.

Papal rings and rosary. I bought myself a rosary from the Vatican, although I'm not Catholic it's still pretty cool since it came from the Vatican.

 The fake Pieta

 St Paul's Cathedral was so beautiful. It's so big and amazing.

 The real Pieta- Mary holding Jesus after the crucifixion

Rome was really spectacular. It was my favorite city that we visited in Italy. I would go back if I had the opportunity. It's a stunning place to visit.

Roma Part 1

Saturday we made our way to Rome. Our hostel was really close to the train station, granted none of us were leaving Rome via train, but oh well. We just so happened to be in Rome during cultural week so most everything in the city was going to be free! 

We decided to make our way to the Trevi Fountain. We of course threw coins into the fountain to ensure our return. Whitney and Dawn threw 2 more in each in hopes of getting an Italian Romance and a marriage to that Italian romance. 

 Next we made our way around the corner to the Spanish steps. We walked up to the top where there are annoying merchants stuffing roses into your hands then demanding money. Oh, Italy.

 For dinner we found a nice little restaurant where I tried gnocci for the first time. It's really delicious. It's a potato dumpling dish. This had a zucchini cream sauce. Oh, it was really good!

 
The next day we got up and went to the colosseum. We had to wait in line for a long time and there were about 8 million tourists. Get up and be there at 8am if you're going to go to beat the rush. We were there by 8 and it was a mad house. It was cool though. Our ticket to the colosseum also got us into the Roman forum which was pretty cool too.