Salut tous!
Just a quick update, as not too much is going on... except for that the Sorbonne is still on strike. Which is good news for me since it means time off, especially since AUP is on spring break this week and next.
Last weekend I went home for a few days, it was a very short visit (considering where I am coming from) I arrived in SLC friday and left monday evening. But it was a nice quiet and relaxing weekend. On friday Jake, Kenzie, and Rachel were all home for a bit before Jake took off for Las Vegas, but Rachel and Kenz stayed for dinner. Lily unfortunately couldn't make it down for the weekend. But it was nice to see everyone else.
On saturday Tony, my mom, Rachel and I ran errands which included going to Costco... which ended up being a dangerous thing for me since everything is so mcuh cheaper here, but I got some great deals, and stocked up on dvd's. I got a new spring coat, The Dark Knight, Wall.E, and the first season of Burn Notice. We went to the Cotton Botom for dinner and a garilc burger has never tasted so good!
Sunday, my parents and I saw "Slumdog Millionaire." I knew absolutely nothing about the movie but was impressed by it. It really was a fabulous film and paints a fairly accurate picture of some of the social problems that India faces today, which is why my mom had a hard time watching the movie. I was also able to watch the Oscars that night, and to my very pleasant surprise "Slumdog Millionaire" won 8 awards! The show overall was very entertaining and I'm glad I was able to catch it while I was home.
Monday my mom and I grabbed a quick lunch at El Rancho Grande before heading of to the airport. I was able to sleep for about 4 hours on the plane, which is a lot for me. I watched two movies on the plane, on the way home I watched the third installment of "The Mummy," and on the way back I watched "The Dutchess." The Mummy was better that I thought it would be, but Rachel Weiss is a much better Evelyn than the person who played it, and its just not the same without her. "The Dutchess," was not at all what I expected, but still very good. It was more of a love story than I thought, and it didn't really have a happy ending, and not in a good way.
Thus far my attempts to recover from jet lag are going well, but I'm still exhausted. I leave for London next wednesday, so I probably won't update again until I return.
I hope everyone is well!
Ciao
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
La Greve
Bonjour tous!
So my attempt to keep you updated on a normal basis has been, well not so good. Honestly though, not much has been going on except the usual, homework, shopping, reading, etc. But there are a few things to update on. So here we go...
Three weeks ago (roughly) I took my final at the Sorbonne for my Theorie Politique class. The actual taking of the test was fine, and actually easier than I thought. That being said, it did take me about a minute after I got the test question to calm down and realize I could actually answer it! It took exactly three hours, to the dot, to complete the exam (plan, first draft, final draft). Thank God for our tutor who essentially taught us the difference between the way American's write exam answers, and the way the French do it, cause that made all the difference in the world! I have yet to actually recieve my grade for the exam, but I did pass the Conference de Methode class, so hopefully that is a good indicator.
This week, many university and higher education schools are on strike! Its funny because I was supposed to start classes at the Sorbonne again this week, but I haven't had class because of the strike, and knowing the French, and especially the Sorbonne, only God knows when I will have class again... I'm just hoping that when I go to the class of the one teacher that is not striking, I don't get trapped in the building!
For the last month or so France has had crazy weather! There was snow when I got back from Christmas break! And two days ago they had to shut down the airport because of wind... 82 mph! It kept me up all night! While rain is normal this time of year, snow is not... when the snow actually sticks, like perhaps it does in Utah or Spokane, the Parisians aren't quite sure how to handle it. Personally, I wish they would all just buy snow shovels, that way at least the sidewalks stay clear, and I don't have to ice skate everywhere!
This last week my friend Caitlin had her friend Josh visiting, and she was kind enough to let me tag along with them. It was really nice because I got to revist some of my favorite museums, like Musee d'Orsay and Pompidou, and go to places I had never been, like Versailles, Invalides, and Musee Gumiet.
My AUP classes are going well, I have two for the time being, and they are both fascinating. One is on the study of Authoritarianism in Russia and China, the other is a study of State, Society, and Political Economy of the Middle East. And next week is mid-terms already!!! Luckily, I don't have any mid-terms!!! But I still need to go through the motions of typing up notes as a marker that will make organizing and studying for finals much easier.
AUP Spring Break is in two weeks and I get two weeks off!!! I am planning on returning home, to Utah for a few days, and am hoping to meet up with Catilin in London for a few days (I love London!!!). I also need to renew my temporary carte de sejour, I am having so many problems with the prefecture it is making my head spin! Oh well, it will all work out, and Caitlin said I can move into her apartment when she moves out, so that I can be in the Paris city limits, and then I can do it through the school.
I think thats about all! As usual, I will try and keep you all updated more often... and with the Sorbonne on strike that gives me a little extra time in the coming week(s). Hope everyone is doing well!
Ciao
So my attempt to keep you updated on a normal basis has been, well not so good. Honestly though, not much has been going on except the usual, homework, shopping, reading, etc. But there are a few things to update on. So here we go...
Three weeks ago (roughly) I took my final at the Sorbonne for my Theorie Politique class. The actual taking of the test was fine, and actually easier than I thought. That being said, it did take me about a minute after I got the test question to calm down and realize I could actually answer it! It took exactly three hours, to the dot, to complete the exam (plan, first draft, final draft). Thank God for our tutor who essentially taught us the difference between the way American's write exam answers, and the way the French do it, cause that made all the difference in the world! I have yet to actually recieve my grade for the exam, but I did pass the Conference de Methode class, so hopefully that is a good indicator.
This week, many university and higher education schools are on strike! Its funny because I was supposed to start classes at the Sorbonne again this week, but I haven't had class because of the strike, and knowing the French, and especially the Sorbonne, only God knows when I will have class again... I'm just hoping that when I go to the class of the one teacher that is not striking, I don't get trapped in the building!
For the last month or so France has had crazy weather! There was snow when I got back from Christmas break! And two days ago they had to shut down the airport because of wind... 82 mph! It kept me up all night! While rain is normal this time of year, snow is not... when the snow actually sticks, like perhaps it does in Utah or Spokane, the Parisians aren't quite sure how to handle it. Personally, I wish they would all just buy snow shovels, that way at least the sidewalks stay clear, and I don't have to ice skate everywhere!
This last week my friend Caitlin had her friend Josh visiting, and she was kind enough to let me tag along with them. It was really nice because I got to revist some of my favorite museums, like Musee d'Orsay and Pompidou, and go to places I had never been, like Versailles, Invalides, and Musee Gumiet.
My AUP classes are going well, I have two for the time being, and they are both fascinating. One is on the study of Authoritarianism in Russia and China, the other is a study of State, Society, and Political Economy of the Middle East. And next week is mid-terms already!!! Luckily, I don't have any mid-terms!!! But I still need to go through the motions of typing up notes as a marker that will make organizing and studying for finals much easier.
AUP Spring Break is in two weeks and I get two weeks off!!! I am planning on returning home, to Utah for a few days, and am hoping to meet up with Catilin in London for a few days (I love London!!!). I also need to renew my temporary carte de sejour, I am having so many problems with the prefecture it is making my head spin! Oh well, it will all work out, and Caitlin said I can move into her apartment when she moves out, so that I can be in the Paris city limits, and then I can do it through the school.
I think thats about all! As usual, I will try and keep you all updated more often... and with the Sorbonne on strike that gives me a little extra time in the coming week(s). Hope everyone is doing well!
Ciao
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