Le premièr mois est passé

Salut tous! I apologize for not writing in a while, but it has been busy the last few weeks, plus I got slowed down with a nasty cold this last week. A few weekends ago, I went with the Gonzaga students to Saint Malo and Mt. Saint Michel. It was a blast and the weather was beautiful! It was nice because I had never been to Saint Malo before and it was a very cool old little fortress town, and I would reccommend visiting if you ever are in France. We walked around the fortress and the beach, ate lunch, took picutres and all that fun stuff. The next day we went to Mt. Saint Michel which I had visited the last time I was here. I had a great time the second time around and I never fail to be enchanted by how old and interesting the island is. I have always said I thought it looks like a snow-globe without a dome, so this time, I bought a snow globe of the island. I passed on visiting the Abbey a second time around, partly cause it was crazy busy, and partly cause I had already done it and wanted more time to explore the shops. It was a fun weekend, but I most definitely paid for it when I got back really late and had massive amounts of homework that I am still catching up on (I'm not behind on the syllabus which is a good thing, just behind where I would like to be for organizational purposes).

The last few weeks have been nice. Not too stressful, and not too slow. I made it out to Disneyland the last two wednesdays and was surprised that they have already started setting up for halloween. Wednesdays are a great day to go because there was no one there and I did everything I wanted in just a few hours. I didn't make it out to IKEA originally planned last monday because of a Movement Social (organized strike) on the one line going to IKEA. So we (my friend Caitlin and I) went last friday to a different IKEA, which didn't work out that well since it was IKEA Cuisines (which means it was a kitchen store), and we didn't need anything for our kitchens. On Saturday however, we finally made it out to the real IKEA! It was great, but also hard because we had to exercise a lot of self-control which was a little easier by the fact that we went at the last minute and only had an hour to shop for specific things we needed. I bought a desk (which I still haven't had time to assemble) and Caitlin graciously helped me carry it back to my apartment. Which means on the bus to the RER to the Merto to my apartment building then up eight flights of stairs!!!! Luckily it wasn't too heavy, just an awkwardly sized box. Needless to say I bought her dinner.

Two Sundays ago I went with the Gonzaga students to Chateau de Nitray for a vendange (or grape harvest), and it was just as much fun as it was the last time I did it (almost more fun since the weather was much better). The only thing that was hard was that we got back really late (later than we were supposed to) so by the time I got home and did everything I needed to get ready for today (monday), then got in bed it was 1:30 am. This would not be that big of a deal had I got more than five hours of sleep on friday (stayed up to watch the presidential debates at 3 am to 5 am here, then for some reason was wide awake at 10am ) and saturday (didn't get home from IKEA till midnight then had to get up at 5 for Chateau de Nitray) nights. I'm pretty sure this is what contributed to this awful cold that I am now recovering from.

I had my first class at the Sorbonne on thursday (it was make up class for a class we are going to miss in November, and its before school even starts). It was nerve wracking. I was able to understand the gist of what the professor was saying (well most of it really, but I'm not quite sure if I heard it right or not). It was atrociously long too, four hours!!!! Luckily, no other class I have (including that one) will ever be that long again.  

I have quite a lot of work ahead of me this next week. A little bit of catch up from being sick, but I have everything done for this week that needs to be done, and that is most important. Plus a module (or simulation) this week. It is essentially an entire class fit into three days. But they make it fun and interesting cause it is a hands on simulation type thing. I will let you all know how it goes. 

I hope everone is doing well! Feel free to comment or e-mail (reverett@gonzaga.edu).

Il fait beau!

This last week,the weather in Paris has been absolutely beautiful... even if a little bit chilly. It has also been fairly stressful. I finally was able to go to the sous-préfecture to apply for my carte de séjour. I got there when they opened on tuesday morning and they gave me number 584. I had to leave at one for a meeting at the Sorbonne, and when I left they were at 579! I didn't even get to go, and the reason I wanted to go was so that I could see if I was missing any papers and go back on wednesday with everything I needed. Needless to say I returned the next day anyway, this time I got there early. I waited for two hours for them to make me an appointment to apply for my carte de séjour! Furhtermore the appointment is not until November 19th! Which means two things: 1) I will most likely not be able to go home for Christmas (because once the process has started I can't leave the EU) and 2) because the appointment is so late I might have to leave an re-enter the country before November. Had I known I needed to do this myself earlier, I would have, and all this stress could have been avoided.

Other than that, everything is going very well. I was able to make it out to Disneyland on sunday, and yes I did renew my seasons pass, they have some fun new stuff too. I really like both classes I have right now, and I am equally nervous and excited for Sorbonne classes to start. I bought a tv over the weekend and I now have cable which is nice. I can watch American shows in French, as well as other shows in French, but I also gett CNN, BBC, and Cartoon Network and some Nickelodeon shows in English. Last night (thursday) I had dinner with the current Gonzaga in Paris students. It was nice to get to meet the new students, and get to see Marie-Claire and Renan again. I will also be going with them to Mont St. Michel this weekend. This time it is a whole weekend excursion (when I went we did it all in one day... we were on the bus longer than the island). I will also (hopefully) be making  a trip to Ikea on monday, I am so excited for that! I love Ikea! 

Hopefully I will get around to putting up new pictures and videos I have taken this weekend, but no promises!

I hope everyone is doing well.

7 years...

Please take a moment today to remember the already 7th annivesary of 9/11, and the nearly 3,000 people that died. As well as to thank your flight crews for keeping you safe everytime you fly.

La premiere semaine des cours

Salut! I am almost finished with my first week of classes, well most of them anyway (the others don't start until October - see below for details) and the week has gone by pretty smoothly with only one glitch. First off, I am getting the internet set up in my apartment (I hesitate to call it an apartment since its really more of a large room) tomorrow, and I am so excited! I will feel so much more connected! Currently I am writing this post at the school.
When I was housed through the school, I decided to live immediately outside of Paris since the rent was considerably cheaper, but I am still on the merto and my commute is only about 25 - 30 minutes. However, yesterday as I was getting everything ready for my carte de sejour (like a green card) appointment I read in the pamphlet that if I live outside of Paris, I have to do my carte de sejour on my own! This was extremely upsetting since I was not told when I was housed that I would have to do this. The carte de sejour process is difficult because it is essentially the French bureaucracy at its best, and the French can't even figure it out, how am I supposed to?! I went to the carte de sejour people office at the school to see if they could help and they were no help at all. Afterwards I went to the housing office to let them know that they need to make sure to tell students if they choose to live outside the city they have to do it on their own. Had I known I would have taken it into consideration, but I don't know that it would have changed my decision, it just would have been nice to know ahead of time so I could have started the process last week since it will now take twice as long. They were extremely apologetic and tried to help me, but I am probably going to have to find another student who has done it and ask them.
Other than that however, everything else is fine. My classes are going well and are really interesting. Also the French component of my program has changed. When I arrived I had the choice to continue with the plan of doing the second masters at the Insitut Cahtolique as originally planned, or do it at the Sorbonne. The catch is that the program through the Sorbonne is not yet finalized so at the end I may end up with a masters from them, or I may get a certificat. Regardless of which I choose I will still get my MA from the American University. I decided to go to the Sorbonne for many reasons. The most important is that while the Insitut Catholique used to be one of the best schools for International Relations study, it it losing a lot of credibility recently because of the Catholic church's return to conservatism under the new Pope. Also, the Sorbonne is better recognized, so regardless of whether or not I recieve a Master or a certificat, it is more widely recognized throughout the EU, UK and US so that it would hold more significance that a Master from a school no one has heard of. And finally, the most important thing is that I get my MA from the American University, which I will regardless of which school I choose.
Sorry for the long post, but this is the first time I have really been able to sit down and write about all the new developments since I got here. I think I've covered just about everything. Hopefully when I get the internet I will be able to post some of the pictures I have taken. Most are from my recent excursion to the Louvre... which didn't last very long as it was free museum day and everyone and their neighbor was there and it was impossibly frustrating, but I did manage to see my favorite things, and some more (I got to see a mini Easter Island Head!!! I never knew they had one there!)
Hope everyone is well!

Quick Update

Salut tous! I just moved into my apartment the other day. It is technically not in Paris but in Boulonge, which for those who are Paris savvy know, is just right outside the city and still on the metro (line 10). I am just updating very quickly as I do not have internet yet. Other than that all is going well. I registered for classes, got my new french cell phone, and have been busy with seminars and workshops before class starts on monday. I also start working on monday. I am going to be the assistant co-ordinator for the under graduate International Relations program. Last night I went to the grad student coktail which was followed by a bateau mouche. It was a great time to socialize with everyone. Okay, I better run but I will hopefully be getting the internet within the next few days! I hope everyone is doing well!