Something has been on my mind a lot lately. Well, I guess it is often on my mind, it's just been bothering me a lot more lately.
I'm home for a few weeks this summer, and I've already been asked the typical questions:
"How long are you here?"
"When do you graduate?"
"What's your major again?"
and last, and most certainly least...
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
No. No I do not. And you know something? I am more than perfectly okay with that.
I don't know why it has been bothering me so much when people ask me that, but I guess it just feels more personal this time. Like really, the only thing people care about, or the thing that shows any sort of success, is whether or not I have a boyfriend.
This is so frustrating to me! I understand that some people are just making conversation. But when some people take on this obnoxious tone of surprise, I just can't stand it. I can tell that the follow-up question they want to ask is, "Well, why not?"
I couldn't tell you. I couldn't tell you why my two beautiful, funny, talented, smart, fantastic roommates don't have boyfriends either. But I can tell you one thing for sure: it does not matter. They are all of those things with or without a guy in their life.
I am really sick of people thinking that our relationship status is the only thing that is important. That getting married is the only measure of success.
It's not.
I could rant about the many good reasons I shouldn't be married right now, but I won't. There's too many "I'M SINGLE AND PROUD" girls out there already, and I don't intend on being one of them.
What I will say though, is that people need to start caring more about the other things that make us single girls outstanding, and successful. Or at least just have the courtesy to ask about them. Ask us about how we feel about starting our program. Ask us about our jobs. Ask us about the countries we've traveled to and studied in. Ask us about our goals, our passions, our hobbies. Ask us about anything else besides our relationship status, and you've got yourself an excellent and pleasant conversation ahead of you.
Maybe I'm the only girl who feels this way, but I just feel like so many girls get the wrong idea about where their worth lies and what makes them interesting, and none of it has to do with a man.
Sorry, boys. ;)
Monday, June 3, 2013
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Au Revoir
It is over. The study abroad has officially come to an end, and I have officially been home for 2 whole days. I said my final goodbyes to my beautiful city of Paris on Tuesday, spent a night in London, and came home Wednesday. Never in my life has time flown by so quickly than it did this semester.
It was weird to leave. Part of me was so excited to come home. I missed so many things about America and home. But at the same time, that last day was when I really saw Paris for how completely beautiful it was, and I realized just how much I had loved being there, which made it really bittersweet to go.
I decided to go on this study abroad on a whim. It was a really last minute decision to apply, and even then it was just to see if I would even get in. I had no idea if I really wanted to go, how I would pay for it, or what the point of it was, I just did it. I am so incredibly glad I did.
There's that saying, that says that "everything happens for a reason". I usually hate that saying because at the time, you have no idea why something is happening. My favorite thing about life though, is that you ALWAYS see the reason eventually. There was a huge reason why I needed to go to Paris, and it wasn't to get better at French, see amazing sights, learn more about the culture, or eat lots of really good cheese. I had to go to Paris to find myself. Who knew it would take leaving everyone I was comfortable with and going across the world? Maybe it was all about going out of my comfort zone so far that I had to sink or swim, or maybe I just needed a change of pace. Regardless or what it was, this experience has completely changed my life.
What did I learn while I was there, you're wondering? Let me tell you. (In list form, of course.)
I learned:
-my worth in the eyes of God
-what my talents are
-what my weaknesses are
-how to make and keep friends
-how to tell real friends from the fake ones
-be happy despite your circumstances
-moving on takes time
-to find joy in the little things
-my love language (haha thanks Mallory!)
-art doesn't get better, it only changes
-to appreciate art in general
-how to live without a cell phone
-laughter is literally the best medicine
-fake snow makes me cry
and last, and most importantly, I learned how to love myself, despite all my flaws. The good things and the bad things are what make me who I am, and that has to be good enough.
I just am so completely happy. Even when things go wrong, and even though my life isn't perfect, I found an optimism and confidence that left me a long time ago. After leaving behind so many things that were weighing me down, I finally feel like myself again. And I have God and Paris to thank for that.
Donc, merci beaucoup, et au revoir Paris. Tu me manques.
Monday, December 3, 2012
My Three Monthiversary with Paris
Okay, so I'm supposed to be packing right now to GO HOME but I need to blog about November, my third month here, and then when I'm bored as ever on the plane, I'll write about the experience en generale.
This month was crazy. To start, I got to go to London for 2 whole days. I cannot even tell you how excited I was. I have been dreaming about going to London since I don't even remember when, probably since I watching Winning London, one of the best Mary-Kate and Ashley movies of all time. I met up with my friend Jamie from Scotland, who I met on the plane here, and hung out with him, Kaitlin, Caitie, Mallory, Lucy, and Olivia. It was SO MUCH FUN. We saw sooo many things, I got to go on the London Eye, I was graciously given a place to sleep by my dear friend Nicole, I heard wonderful accents everywhere I went, and I got to see fashion designer Disney princess displays. It was just seriously a magical weekend. Me and Kaitlin took the overnight bus there and back, which was an experience in itself. You have to get off the bus for awhile to go on a giant ferry across the English Channel, which is cool, but definitely breaks up your sleeping time at a very weird part. Basically, we got no sleep on this trip. We were delusional and I even ended up getting sick, but it was worth it because we got more time actually there, and it was super cheap. I would recommend it, but just don't expect to sleep haha. The first day was just full of traveling around, seeing Big Ben, Westminster Abbey (the outside), Buckingham Palace (sadly no royalty sighting), Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, and then me and Jamie went on the Eye. That night, me and Olivia and Jamie just walked around South Kensington and tried to find Simon Cowell. That area is like super nice and there were all these fancy cars, and apparently Simon lives around there. It was obviously my goal to find him and sing for him and have him make me a star so I could meet One Direction. Unfortunately, we didn't find him. Probably due to the fact that he was in America to film X-Factor. Oh well. The next day, we went to Harrods, which is where the fancy Disney stuff was, and so many expensive things. The place is huge and I felt under-dressed just walking around there haha. Jamie had to leave after that, and me and Olivia went around to some other places like the Sherlock Holmes gift shop, and King's Cross station where I got to pretend like I was going to Hogwarts...DREAM COME TRUE. If only Ron Weasley had been there...
November obviously means Thanksgiving, and even though we were in Paris, we still got to celebrate. We all brought food to our director's apartment, had a wonderful meal, played card games, napped, and just hung out together. It was a lot of fun, and I'm so glad we got to still have a little bit of home tradition while abroad. Our little illusion was quickly shattered though when we had to go to art history that night, but it was in the Musee D'Orsay, so how can I complain? You can read more about Thanksgiving, and what I am grateful for in this post.
This weekend was actually really amazing. Friday, we went to DISNEYLAND! Most amazing day ever. I honestly forgot for a little bit that I was still in France. It's smaller there, but so similar, and the rides are practically the same. It was so fun because Star Tours was the old version still, which I haven't seen in forever since they changed it, but C3PO was speaking French. Tower of Terror was exactly the same, but the story was in French too. The guy on that ride totally scared us in line, which was so funny. We ate at Earl of Sandwich, this really good place that Cori recommended, rode every ride we wanted to, SAW FAKE SNOW which made me cry, and everyone was just getting along so well and it was just so happy. But seriously, tears were actually running down my face during the snow part. There was just Christmas stuff everywhere, and music, and it's Disneyland, and then the snow came and it was all so perfect that I just started laughing and crying at the same time. It was a little emotional. haha. The next day, we celebrated my wonderful roomie Caitie's birthday at this really good fondue place, and everyone was getting along so well again. We played this fun game called "if you drop your food in the fondue you have to kiss the person on your left" and Alicia had to kiss Mallory's cheek about 47 times. She was struggling. Then yesterday after church, I had the opportunity to go to a baptism. It was so amazing. It was such a spiritual experience to be able to see these people (who were both older than the normal age of 8) who had found something so wonderful. One of the girls was so excited that she got to the church super early just to make sure she was ready! I love that even though our cultures our different, the church really is the same everywhere. It brings people the same joy no matter where you are. We got to eat some yummy food after too, (beignets are the best in the world) and hang out with the missionaries, which is always a fun time. Just note to self: don't bring up the fact that you have nicknames for them, especially when they're embarrassing nicknames, and especially when they're standing right behind you.
Tonight (which I'm still counting because we are leaving), we went for our final group dinner on a boat on the Seine! It was magical. We got dressed up, ate really yummy food, and see all the beautiful sights around Paris. I forget how beautiful this city really is sometimes. Seriously, I felt like I was in a movie or something. What an amazing experience. Getting to boat on the Seine TWICE? How lucky are we?
This month went by so incredibly fast, and the program itself went by even faster. Honestly, November was a bit of a blur. We realized we had like no time left, and life got really busy. We visited Versailles, which was amazing, and those gardens are beautiful. I was sick so I didn't get to fully experience them, but luckily I had been before to the garden part and got to lounge around and that was nice. We also traveled to Strasbourg, which you can read about here. Apart from that, it was a lot of homework, papers, studying, more art history classes, and shopping for souvenirs. I can't believe it is already time to go home. I will blog more about my feelings and experience later, but right now I reallyyyy need to go pack. So much so that I used 4 y's. Which obviously means a lot.
This month was crazy. To start, I got to go to London for 2 whole days. I cannot even tell you how excited I was. I have been dreaming about going to London since I don't even remember when, probably since I watching Winning London, one of the best Mary-Kate and Ashley movies of all time. I met up with my friend Jamie from Scotland, who I met on the plane here, and hung out with him, Kaitlin, Caitie, Mallory, Lucy, and Olivia. It was SO MUCH FUN. We saw sooo many things, I got to go on the London Eye, I was graciously given a place to sleep by my dear friend Nicole, I heard wonderful accents everywhere I went, and I got to see fashion designer Disney princess displays. It was just seriously a magical weekend. Me and Kaitlin took the overnight bus there and back, which was an experience in itself. You have to get off the bus for awhile to go on a giant ferry across the English Channel, which is cool, but definitely breaks up your sleeping time at a very weird part. Basically, we got no sleep on this trip. We were delusional and I even ended up getting sick, but it was worth it because we got more time actually there, and it was super cheap. I would recommend it, but just don't expect to sleep haha. The first day was just full of traveling around, seeing Big Ben, Westminster Abbey (the outside), Buckingham Palace (sadly no royalty sighting), Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, and then me and Jamie went on the Eye. That night, me and Olivia and Jamie just walked around South Kensington and tried to find Simon Cowell. That area is like super nice and there were all these fancy cars, and apparently Simon lives around there. It was obviously my goal to find him and sing for him and have him make me a star so I could meet One Direction. Unfortunately, we didn't find him. Probably due to the fact that he was in America to film X-Factor. Oh well. The next day, we went to Harrods, which is where the fancy Disney stuff was, and so many expensive things. The place is huge and I felt under-dressed just walking around there haha. Jamie had to leave after that, and me and Olivia went around to some other places like the Sherlock Holmes gift shop, and King's Cross station where I got to pretend like I was going to Hogwarts...DREAM COME TRUE. If only Ron Weasley had been there...
November obviously means Thanksgiving, and even though we were in Paris, we still got to celebrate. We all brought food to our director's apartment, had a wonderful meal, played card games, napped, and just hung out together. It was a lot of fun, and I'm so glad we got to still have a little bit of home tradition while abroad. Our little illusion was quickly shattered though when we had to go to art history that night, but it was in the Musee D'Orsay, so how can I complain? You can read more about Thanksgiving, and what I am grateful for in this post.
This weekend was actually really amazing. Friday, we went to DISNEYLAND! Most amazing day ever. I honestly forgot for a little bit that I was still in France. It's smaller there, but so similar, and the rides are practically the same. It was so fun because Star Tours was the old version still, which I haven't seen in forever since they changed it, but C3PO was speaking French. Tower of Terror was exactly the same, but the story was in French too. The guy on that ride totally scared us in line, which was so funny. We ate at Earl of Sandwich, this really good place that Cori recommended, rode every ride we wanted to, SAW FAKE SNOW which made me cry, and everyone was just getting along so well and it was just so happy. But seriously, tears were actually running down my face during the snow part. There was just Christmas stuff everywhere, and music, and it's Disneyland, and then the snow came and it was all so perfect that I just started laughing and crying at the same time. It was a little emotional. haha. The next day, we celebrated my wonderful roomie Caitie's birthday at this really good fondue place, and everyone was getting along so well again. We played this fun game called "if you drop your food in the fondue you have to kiss the person on your left" and Alicia had to kiss Mallory's cheek about 47 times. She was struggling. Then yesterday after church, I had the opportunity to go to a baptism. It was so amazing. It was such a spiritual experience to be able to see these people (who were both older than the normal age of 8) who had found something so wonderful. One of the girls was so excited that she got to the church super early just to make sure she was ready! I love that even though our cultures our different, the church really is the same everywhere. It brings people the same joy no matter where you are. We got to eat some yummy food after too, (beignets are the best in the world) and hang out with the missionaries, which is always a fun time. Just note to self: don't bring up the fact that you have nicknames for them, especially when they're embarrassing nicknames, and especially when they're standing right behind you.
Tonight (which I'm still counting because we are leaving), we went for our final group dinner on a boat on the Seine! It was magical. We got dressed up, ate really yummy food, and see all the beautiful sights around Paris. I forget how beautiful this city really is sometimes. Seriously, I felt like I was in a movie or something. What an amazing experience. Getting to boat on the Seine TWICE? How lucky are we?
This month went by so incredibly fast, and the program itself went by even faster. Honestly, November was a bit of a blur. We realized we had like no time left, and life got really busy. We visited Versailles, which was amazing, and those gardens are beautiful. I was sick so I didn't get to fully experience them, but luckily I had been before to the garden part and got to lounge around and that was nice. We also traveled to Strasbourg, which you can read about here. Apart from that, it was a lot of homework, papers, studying, more art history classes, and shopping for souvenirs. I can't believe it is already time to go home. I will blog more about my feelings and experience later, but right now I reallyyyy need to go pack. So much so that I used 4 y's. Which obviously means a lot.
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| At Caitie's birthday dinner |
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| Disneyland! I stole this from Mallory...those are her parents in the corner. haha |
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| "The Londoneers" as Kaitlin likes to call us. |
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Paris Walk #16
Date: 11/29/12
Playing Hooky in the Latin Quarter
I did this walk with Kayla and Olivia, who were so very kind and did this walk a second time with me. I had been to the Latin Quarter many times (mainly to get kebab for lunch with Cori), but I hadn't officially done the walk so I figured why not? Also, my friend Jared wanted me to go check out this bakery on Rue Buci, and that happened to be on the walk. I think it was meant to be. Anyway, on this walk, you start out at the fountain at Place Saint-Michel, which is actually the first place we met up with Dr. H at the beginning of our trip! How nostalgic :) You see a historic theater, lots of art galleries, and even the place where Dr. Guillotin tested his new invention on live sheep...triste. Yes, that's the guy who invented the thing that chopped people's heads off. My favorite quote from Kayla after reading this fact: "Did they cook the sheep after or..?"
We kind of hope so, so that the sheep didn't die in vain. Does that make us terrible people? I hope not. Another part of the walk takes you along the seine where there are these long green box things set up with old books, postcards, and other tourist-y stuff. It reminds me of what it might have been like back in the old days of Paris, with artists sitting and painting along the Seine, and people selling their goods there. I don't know, it just is pretty. You have to see it I guess. I'm glad I did this walk because I learned a lot about the area that I didn't know about before, like that the Academy Francaise is there! That's the place where all the people who decide what is proper and official in the world of science and language live and work and decide important things....I obviously really know what I'm talking about. It's an important place, just trust me on this one.
Last walk journal, hooray!
Playing Hooky in the Latin Quarter
I did this walk with Kayla and Olivia, who were so very kind and did this walk a second time with me. I had been to the Latin Quarter many times (mainly to get kebab for lunch with Cori), but I hadn't officially done the walk so I figured why not? Also, my friend Jared wanted me to go check out this bakery on Rue Buci, and that happened to be on the walk. I think it was meant to be. Anyway, on this walk, you start out at the fountain at Place Saint-Michel, which is actually the first place we met up with Dr. H at the beginning of our trip! How nostalgic :) You see a historic theater, lots of art galleries, and even the place where Dr. Guillotin tested his new invention on live sheep...triste. Yes, that's the guy who invented the thing that chopped people's heads off. My favorite quote from Kayla after reading this fact: "Did they cook the sheep after or..?"
We kind of hope so, so that the sheep didn't die in vain. Does that make us terrible people? I hope not. Another part of the walk takes you along the seine where there are these long green box things set up with old books, postcards, and other tourist-y stuff. It reminds me of what it might have been like back in the old days of Paris, with artists sitting and painting along the Seine, and people selling their goods there. I don't know, it just is pretty. You have to see it I guess. I'm glad I did this walk because I learned a lot about the area that I didn't know about before, like that the Academy Francaise is there! That's the place where all the people who decide what is proper and official in the world of science and language live and work and decide important things....I obviously really know what I'm talking about. It's an important place, just trust me on this one.
Last walk journal, hooray!
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Paris Walk #15
Date: 9/27/12 and 10/1/12
Of Art, War, and World's Fairs: Les Invalides, Musee Rodin, La Tour Eiffel
I did this walk with a few different people, and at different times. It's a long walk, so I chose to split it up between days. It starts at the Grand and Petit Palais, which I learned were both built for the World's Fair. I think that is so interesting, because they are extremely beautiful buildings and I had no idea they weren't around that long. I also think it's funny that these things that seem to really be "Paris" for me weren't even originally here. I visited the Petit Palais with Cori, and it has one of the prettiest doors I've ever seen. It is weird to talk about a door like that, but wait til you see the picture. This walk also includes my favorite bridge in the whole world: Pont Alexandre III. (Pont means bridge in French) It is seriously the most beautiful bridge in the world, and another thing that opened for a world's fair! Who knew. I also found out from Sydney that it is the bridge that is featured in the dramatic ending of Anastasia, one of the best movies ever. So many fun facts about this bridge. It is amazing and very memorable. On this walk you also see the Invalides, which is a very large building with a golden dome at the top. It is home to the Musee de l'armee, which houses lots of armor, weapons, and just pretty much everything to do with war. I learned that during WWI, 11% of the French population was killed or wounded from this war. It was really devastating. The walk ends at the Eiffel Tower, which we visited as a group for FHE one night. How lucky is that?! Fun fact for you: it is painted using 60 tons of paint, and it has been painted red, yellow, and now brown. I cannot even imagine a red or yellow Eiffel tower, and I'm really glad they settled on brown!! It was amazing getting to go to the top and see the amazing view of Paris.
Of Art, War, and World's Fairs: Les Invalides, Musee Rodin, La Tour Eiffel
I did this walk with a few different people, and at different times. It's a long walk, so I chose to split it up between days. It starts at the Grand and Petit Palais, which I learned were both built for the World's Fair. I think that is so interesting, because they are extremely beautiful buildings and I had no idea they weren't around that long. I also think it's funny that these things that seem to really be "Paris" for me weren't even originally here. I visited the Petit Palais with Cori, and it has one of the prettiest doors I've ever seen. It is weird to talk about a door like that, but wait til you see the picture. This walk also includes my favorite bridge in the whole world: Pont Alexandre III. (Pont means bridge in French) It is seriously the most beautiful bridge in the world, and another thing that opened for a world's fair! Who knew. I also found out from Sydney that it is the bridge that is featured in the dramatic ending of Anastasia, one of the best movies ever. So many fun facts about this bridge. It is amazing and very memorable. On this walk you also see the Invalides, which is a very large building with a golden dome at the top. It is home to the Musee de l'armee, which houses lots of armor, weapons, and just pretty much everything to do with war. I learned that during WWI, 11% of the French population was killed or wounded from this war. It was really devastating. The walk ends at the Eiffel Tower, which we visited as a group for FHE one night. How lucky is that?! Fun fact for you: it is painted using 60 tons of paint, and it has been painted red, yellow, and now brown. I cannot even imagine a red or yellow Eiffel tower, and I'm really glad they settled on brown!! It was amazing getting to go to the top and see the amazing view of Paris.
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| The Petit Palais...look at the door! |
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| Pont Alexander III |
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| Pont Alexander III |
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| One of the many spectacular views from the top of La Tour Eiffel |
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| Bonding with Nateybabes at the top! (Don't let that smile fool you...he wasn't too enthused about this photo. haha) |
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Conversations (French 311)
When talking with my host family about most of these, we wouldn't necessarily end up sticking with the suggested questions, but talked more about the topic in general. I still learned a lot from them about France and French culture.
Conversation #1: La pureté de la langue française
Date- 11/18/12
People- Caroline and Bernard Devarenne (host parents)
How it started- Random conversation at dinner
Vocab used- L'academie francaise, la dictionnaire, les mots, l'autorité
We talked mostly about the academie francaise, and how they are the people who decide what the official words, spelling, and grammar are of the French language. They determine the country's language also. They asked us if we had anything like that in the U.S., and the only thing we could think of were the people who write the dictionary. We often say things like "according to Webster's dictionary..." or even the Oxford one, which isn't even really American at all. It was interesting to both of us how different our language rules are, and the system that creates them. I wish I could have thought of more examples of who dictates our language, but I think we explained fairly well how there isn't really something like the academie francaise.
Conversation #2: L’influence américaine
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversation
Vocab used- les emissions, la musique, la radio, le satellite
We started talking about the influence of America on French culture, and it basically turned into a chat about what movies and television shows we liked. This is because there are many American TV shows that apparently play here if you have the right kind of cable. My host mom loves American shows, and not very many French shows, so I think it is pretty apparent how she feels about American influence. My host dad struggles with English, but wants to learn, so he appreciates anything American or English so that he can learn better. He listens to American radio a lot to practice his comprehension. Since this talk was at the beginning of the program, my French was not that great, so if I could have improved it would have been asking them more questions about other parts of America's influence.
Conversation #3: L’Eglise des Saints des derniers jour en France
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversation
Vocab used- l'Eglise de Jésus-Christ des saints des derniers jours, l’Eglise catholique, une norme culturelle, les temples, les ordinances
Our host family is Catholic, so we often talk about the differences between our church and the Catholic church, or just the Catholic church in general. This time, the thing that started our whole conversation (besides Mitt Romney) was the wedding of their daughter, Aude. She recently got married, and they had a nice ceremony in a Catholic church, but said they preferred American weddings because it was much less serious and more fun. They then asked about our church and how we get married. It was a very complicated conversation, and I wish I knew more church vocabulary, but we did our best to explain temples to them. We tried to explain how not everyone can go in, how you have to be worthy, and how you do special ordinances there. We attempted to explain baptisms for the dead, and I guess we did an okay job because they didn't look at us like we were crazy. We also told them about how they are trying to build a temple in Paris, and they thought it was pretty cool.
Conversation #4: Health Care
Date- 10/29/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversation
Vocab used- la sécurité sociale, un médecin, un hôpital
With the American election on the news, and all the stuff about Obamacare being talked about, we naturally ended up talking about Health Care. Our host parents explained to us how healthcare works in France, and how it is essentially the same thing as Obamacare. It is provided by the government. They, however, don't really like it, because it is hard to get into hospitals and get taken care of. They don't really think it is a good idea. We talked about what health care is like in America, too, and politely gave our opinions on it. They often like to ask our opinion on political subjects, but we try to avoid it like Dr. H told us to do. If I could have improved, I would have done a little more research about health care because I realized that I don't know as much as I thought I did.
Conversation #5: Les fêtes nationales
Date- 10/28/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Halloween
Vocab used- la fête nationale, une fête religieuse, une tradition familiale
We talked about national holidays right before Halloween, since it was approaching and there isn't such a thing as Halloween in France. They did say that the French people and especially the young adults our age, like to celebrate Halloween more and more like America every year because it is fun, but it technically is not a holiday. We also talked about Thanksgiving, because that was coming up, and what we normally did for that, since Thanksgiving is also not a French holiday. We told them about our traditions and who we ate our big meals with, also what kind of food we ate. They told us about the religious holidays that they have, which include All-Saints Day and Christmas, but they don't have nearly as many as we do. I think that is a little sad, because I really love holidays.
Conversation #6: L’éducation
Date- 10/23/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversation
Vocab used- les grandes écoles, une université, le collège, le bac, une bourse
I learned so much from this conversation, and it even gave me a glimpse into the socialistic aspects of France that I didn't really understand before. We started talking about universities, and BYU and how much tuition costs, and that basically got them talking about the educational system in France. I learned that going to university in France is free, except for the cost of books, supplies, etc. The government pays for your education. This was amazing to me, especially because I thought that BYU was pretty cheap. They explained how that was just the regular university though, and if you wanted to go to a specialty school, such as a school for medicine or engineering (les grandes ecoles), it was very expensive. It was about as expensive as some of the major universities in the U.S. like Stanford or UCLA. Considering I don't want to go into medicine or engineering, I think it would probably benefit me to go to school in France because it is free. That is one part of the government paying for things that I would really appreciate.
Conversation #7: L’acualité
Date- 10/30/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Upcoming American election
Vocab used- une opinion, la politique, un événement
The election for the president of the U.S. was coming up soon, and apparently it was being discussed on French news shows as well. I think our host parents asked us about it more than anyone at home did. They always wanted to know our opinions, and did not hesitate to tell us they really liked Mitt Romney. I think French people really keep up with current events more than Americans, but that could also just be because they are older. They probably watch a lot more news than I do, so this could be a very unfair judgement. We also talked about voting, if we were going to vote, and the difference between voting systems in America and France. They didn't understand electoral college, and I didn't have the vocabulary to explain it to them, so that was kind of a lost cause to explain. It also just doesn't make sense as a system anyway, so I don't blame them for being confused.
Conversation #8: La religion et l’éducation
Date- 11/12/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversation
Vocab used- la liberté, chrétien, Catholique, l'eglise
Our host mom is a math teacher, and so she often talks about her school and her students. She teaches at a Catholic school, so her views on education and religion are pretty obvious- she doesn't mind the two combining. This led us to talking about BYU and how that is also a religious school, and a private school. We explained how you don't have to be Mormon to go there, but that you have to attend some sort of religious center based on your religion, and you have to get an ecclesiastical endorsement. She understood this because she teaches at a Catholic school, and while you don't have to have an endorsement or even go to church, it makes sense to her to mix religion and education. They are a very religious family, and we pray before every meal we eat together. I don't know if it's more for us or for them, or both, but I appreciate it regardless.
Conversation #9: L’architecture moderne
Date- 11/19/12
People- Host parents
How it started- I visited La Defense
Vocab used- le style préféré, esthétique
My host parents ask us what we did with our days every time we eat dinner with them. This particular time, I had gone on a walk for the Walking Tour class and it was the one for La Defense. This led us to talk about the area and modern architecture in general. My host parents really think it's a cool place, and very modern. It was funny to me because it actually doesn't look that modern, rather an old attempt at modernizing architecture. Perhaps because they are older, it looks more modern to them. I think they prefer the old style of architecture, but my host dad liked talking about all the other different places in Paris that have modern architecture like La Defense. They also asked us if architecture was more like that in Los Angeles, and we said that yes, that is more what the city looks like.
Conversation #10: La culture des banlieues
Date- 10/7/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversation
Vocab used- les habitudes, les jeunes, un immeuble
My family lives in Boulogne, which is still technically in Paris on one side of the street, and the suburbs or "banlieues" on the other side. Our host mom explained that to us when she was driving us around the first day, and again during this conversation. However, I still don't know exactly what street is divided like that. Either way, they know a lot about the area and life in the suburbs. One thing they told us about and encouraged us to go to, was the Vide Grenier. (I'm not sure if that's exactly what it's called, but it's something like that). It is basically the French equivalent of a garage sale. There was one that was happening right in our neighborhood, near the church that is within walking distance. They also told us about schools nearby, and how the kids always come home for lunch. Their own grandkids often are home at lunch time, and I think it is so nice that they get to have lunch with them so often.
Conversation #11: Les Etats-Unis
Date- Many times
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversations
Vocab used- les temps, la plage, San Francisco, les banlieues, San Diego
Our host family is really good friends with an American family, so they have been to the U.S. many times. They have also been to California many times, so they are always excited to talk to us about places they have been there. We have talked about Disneyland, San Diego, and San Francisco so many times I can't even remember how many. They love San Francisco, and it reminds them a lot of France due to the architecture of the buildings, and how the neighborhoods are set up with the buildings all squished together. They have visited Florida as well, and love to compare the weather in all of the cities they've visited with France's weather. They ask us about the beach almost every dinner. When Caitie and I discovered Carrefour, we also talked about the similarities between stores, but how there is not really anything like Carrefour in America. We have talked about how eco-friendly America is, which kind of ice cream is the best, which TV shows we like, pretty much everything. They really love the United States which is really fun.
Conversation #12: La Famille
Date- 9/16/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Getting to know you dinner
Vocab used- les enfants, les filles, les freres, l'age
When we first met our host family, they and we talked about our personal families, including number of kids, how old they are, etc. What I learned about my host family is that they have 5 daughters, and about 11 grandkids (I think). I can't ever remember all of the girls' names, but I know that one is Anne-Claire, and another one is Aude. Aude is the youngest, and is recently married. Her husband works for the military, and just recently left until April as part of his military duties. She has had dinner with us a couple times, and she is very nice. They asked us about all of our siblings, and if we get along, and what our ages were in comparison to the others. It was nice getting to know about their family, because they loved to talk about them and show us pictures of their grandkids.
Conversation #13: Les Sports
Date- Many times
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversations
Vocab used- Bois de Boulogne, le tennis, le golf, faire du jogging
I like to run (sort of) and when I told my host parents about that, my host dad immediately asked me if I played other sports. I told him I didn't, but that my dad played tennis and golf, and my brothers play other sports, and apparently me having a knowledge of sports makes me "active" (sporty). They could not be more wrong, I am, in fact, athletically challenged. But they were very impressed that I knew what Roland Garros is, the tennis stadium right by our house here. My host dad likes to talk to me about golf, and how he took his grandkids a few times. He asked my what my dad's handicap is, and I wish I had actually known that. I have since found out, and I plan to tell him tonight at dinner. They have also talked to us about "football" (soccer) and rugby, since there is another stadium nearby where both of those are played. My host mom prefers rugby, because the fans and players of that sport are much more calm and respectful. We shared a love of rugby even though my reasons were different.
Conversation #1: La pureté de la langue française
Date- 11/18/12
People- Caroline and Bernard Devarenne (host parents)
How it started- Random conversation at dinner
Vocab used- L'academie francaise, la dictionnaire, les mots, l'autorité
We talked mostly about the academie francaise, and how they are the people who decide what the official words, spelling, and grammar are of the French language. They determine the country's language also. They asked us if we had anything like that in the U.S., and the only thing we could think of were the people who write the dictionary. We often say things like "according to Webster's dictionary..." or even the Oxford one, which isn't even really American at all. It was interesting to both of us how different our language rules are, and the system that creates them. I wish I could have thought of more examples of who dictates our language, but I think we explained fairly well how there isn't really something like the academie francaise.
Conversation #2: L’influence américaine
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversation
Vocab used- les emissions, la musique, la radio, le satellite
We started talking about the influence of America on French culture, and it basically turned into a chat about what movies and television shows we liked. This is because there are many American TV shows that apparently play here if you have the right kind of cable. My host mom loves American shows, and not very many French shows, so I think it is pretty apparent how she feels about American influence. My host dad struggles with English, but wants to learn, so he appreciates anything American or English so that he can learn better. He listens to American radio a lot to practice his comprehension. Since this talk was at the beginning of the program, my French was not that great, so if I could have improved it would have been asking them more questions about other parts of America's influence.
Conversation #3: L’Eglise des Saints des derniers jour en France
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversation
Vocab used- l'Eglise de Jésus-Christ des saints des derniers jours, l’Eglise catholique, une norme culturelle, les temples, les ordinances
Our host family is Catholic, so we often talk about the differences between our church and the Catholic church, or just the Catholic church in general. This time, the thing that started our whole conversation (besides Mitt Romney) was the wedding of their daughter, Aude. She recently got married, and they had a nice ceremony in a Catholic church, but said they preferred American weddings because it was much less serious and more fun. They then asked about our church and how we get married. It was a very complicated conversation, and I wish I knew more church vocabulary, but we did our best to explain temples to them. We tried to explain how not everyone can go in, how you have to be worthy, and how you do special ordinances there. We attempted to explain baptisms for the dead, and I guess we did an okay job because they didn't look at us like we were crazy. We also told them about how they are trying to build a temple in Paris, and they thought it was pretty cool.
Conversation #4: Health Care
Date- 10/29/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversation
Vocab used- la sécurité sociale, un médecin, un hôpital
With the American election on the news, and all the stuff about Obamacare being talked about, we naturally ended up talking about Health Care. Our host parents explained to us how healthcare works in France, and how it is essentially the same thing as Obamacare. It is provided by the government. They, however, don't really like it, because it is hard to get into hospitals and get taken care of. They don't really think it is a good idea. We talked about what health care is like in America, too, and politely gave our opinions on it. They often like to ask our opinion on political subjects, but we try to avoid it like Dr. H told us to do. If I could have improved, I would have done a little more research about health care because I realized that I don't know as much as I thought I did.
Conversation #5: Les fêtes nationales
Date- 10/28/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Halloween
Vocab used- la fête nationale, une fête religieuse, une tradition familiale
We talked about national holidays right before Halloween, since it was approaching and there isn't such a thing as Halloween in France. They did say that the French people and especially the young adults our age, like to celebrate Halloween more and more like America every year because it is fun, but it technically is not a holiday. We also talked about Thanksgiving, because that was coming up, and what we normally did for that, since Thanksgiving is also not a French holiday. We told them about our traditions and who we ate our big meals with, also what kind of food we ate. They told us about the religious holidays that they have, which include All-Saints Day and Christmas, but they don't have nearly as many as we do. I think that is a little sad, because I really love holidays.
Conversation #6: L’éducation
Date- 10/23/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversation
Vocab used- les grandes écoles, une université, le collège, le bac, une bourse
I learned so much from this conversation, and it even gave me a glimpse into the socialistic aspects of France that I didn't really understand before. We started talking about universities, and BYU and how much tuition costs, and that basically got them talking about the educational system in France. I learned that going to university in France is free, except for the cost of books, supplies, etc. The government pays for your education. This was amazing to me, especially because I thought that BYU was pretty cheap. They explained how that was just the regular university though, and if you wanted to go to a specialty school, such as a school for medicine or engineering (les grandes ecoles), it was very expensive. It was about as expensive as some of the major universities in the U.S. like Stanford or UCLA. Considering I don't want to go into medicine or engineering, I think it would probably benefit me to go to school in France because it is free. That is one part of the government paying for things that I would really appreciate.
Conversation #7: L’acualité
Date- 10/30/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Upcoming American election
Vocab used- une opinion, la politique, un événement
The election for the president of the U.S. was coming up soon, and apparently it was being discussed on French news shows as well. I think our host parents asked us about it more than anyone at home did. They always wanted to know our opinions, and did not hesitate to tell us they really liked Mitt Romney. I think French people really keep up with current events more than Americans, but that could also just be because they are older. They probably watch a lot more news than I do, so this could be a very unfair judgement. We also talked about voting, if we were going to vote, and the difference between voting systems in America and France. They didn't understand electoral college, and I didn't have the vocabulary to explain it to them, so that was kind of a lost cause to explain. It also just doesn't make sense as a system anyway, so I don't blame them for being confused.
Conversation #8: La religion et l’éducation
Date- 11/12/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversation
Vocab used- la liberté, chrétien, Catholique, l'eglise
Our host mom is a math teacher, and so she often talks about her school and her students. She teaches at a Catholic school, so her views on education and religion are pretty obvious- she doesn't mind the two combining. This led us to talking about BYU and how that is also a religious school, and a private school. We explained how you don't have to be Mormon to go there, but that you have to attend some sort of religious center based on your religion, and you have to get an ecclesiastical endorsement. She understood this because she teaches at a Catholic school, and while you don't have to have an endorsement or even go to church, it makes sense to her to mix religion and education. They are a very religious family, and we pray before every meal we eat together. I don't know if it's more for us or for them, or both, but I appreciate it regardless.
Conversation #9: L’architecture moderne
Date- 11/19/12
People- Host parents
How it started- I visited La Defense
Vocab used- le style préféré, esthétique
My host parents ask us what we did with our days every time we eat dinner with them. This particular time, I had gone on a walk for the Walking Tour class and it was the one for La Defense. This led us to talk about the area and modern architecture in general. My host parents really think it's a cool place, and very modern. It was funny to me because it actually doesn't look that modern, rather an old attempt at modernizing architecture. Perhaps because they are older, it looks more modern to them. I think they prefer the old style of architecture, but my host dad liked talking about all the other different places in Paris that have modern architecture like La Defense. They also asked us if architecture was more like that in Los Angeles, and we said that yes, that is more what the city looks like.
Conversation #10: La culture des banlieues
Date- 10/7/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversation
Vocab used- les habitudes, les jeunes, un immeuble
My family lives in Boulogne, which is still technically in Paris on one side of the street, and the suburbs or "banlieues" on the other side. Our host mom explained that to us when she was driving us around the first day, and again during this conversation. However, I still don't know exactly what street is divided like that. Either way, they know a lot about the area and life in the suburbs. One thing they told us about and encouraged us to go to, was the Vide Grenier. (I'm not sure if that's exactly what it's called, but it's something like that). It is basically the French equivalent of a garage sale. There was one that was happening right in our neighborhood, near the church that is within walking distance. They also told us about schools nearby, and how the kids always come home for lunch. Their own grandkids often are home at lunch time, and I think it is so nice that they get to have lunch with them so often.
Conversation #11: Les Etats-Unis
Date- Many times
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversations
Vocab used- les temps, la plage, San Francisco, les banlieues, San Diego
Our host family is really good friends with an American family, so they have been to the U.S. many times. They have also been to California many times, so they are always excited to talk to us about places they have been there. We have talked about Disneyland, San Diego, and San Francisco so many times I can't even remember how many. They love San Francisco, and it reminds them a lot of France due to the architecture of the buildings, and how the neighborhoods are set up with the buildings all squished together. They have visited Florida as well, and love to compare the weather in all of the cities they've visited with France's weather. They ask us about the beach almost every dinner. When Caitie and I discovered Carrefour, we also talked about the similarities between stores, but how there is not really anything like Carrefour in America. We have talked about how eco-friendly America is, which kind of ice cream is the best, which TV shows we like, pretty much everything. They really love the United States which is really fun.
Conversation #12: La Famille
Date- 9/16/12
People- Host parents
How it started- Getting to know you dinner
Vocab used- les enfants, les filles, les freres, l'age
When we first met our host family, they and we talked about our personal families, including number of kids, how old they are, etc. What I learned about my host family is that they have 5 daughters, and about 11 grandkids (I think). I can't ever remember all of the girls' names, but I know that one is Anne-Claire, and another one is Aude. Aude is the youngest, and is recently married. Her husband works for the military, and just recently left until April as part of his military duties. She has had dinner with us a couple times, and she is very nice. They asked us about all of our siblings, and if we get along, and what our ages were in comparison to the others. It was nice getting to know about their family, because they loved to talk about them and show us pictures of their grandkids.
Conversation #13: Les Sports
Date- Many times
People- Host parents
How it started- Dinner conversations
Vocab used- Bois de Boulogne, le tennis, le golf, faire du jogging
I like to run (sort of) and when I told my host parents about that, my host dad immediately asked me if I played other sports. I told him I didn't, but that my dad played tennis and golf, and my brothers play other sports, and apparently me having a knowledge of sports makes me "active" (sporty). They could not be more wrong, I am, in fact, athletically challenged. But they were very impressed that I knew what Roland Garros is, the tennis stadium right by our house here. My host dad likes to talk to me about golf, and how he took his grandkids a few times. He asked my what my dad's handicap is, and I wish I had actually known that. I have since found out, and I plan to tell him tonight at dinner. They have also talked to us about "football" (soccer) and rugby, since there is another stadium nearby where both of those are played. My host mom prefers rugby, because the fans and players of that sport are much more calm and respectful. We shared a love of rugby even though my reasons were different.
Monday, November 26, 2012
The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris (French 345)
Chapter 1: The Way Over
The first chapter discusses the types of people who came over to France in the early 1800's to pursue their artistic and intellectual dreams, and grow and learn from the culture. Some of these people included James Fenimore Cooper, the author of The Last of the Mohicans; Samuel F.B. Morse, a portrait painter; and Emma Willard, the first woman to take a stand for women's higher education. All of the people coming over had different interests or motives, but all were relatively similar in the fact that they did not know much about the language or culture they were about to immerse themselves in.
It talked about how they could take two different routes: a direct route to Le Havre at the mouth of the Seine, or the route to England and then across the channel to Calais or Boulogne-sur-Mer. It was really interesting to read about those places, because I have now learned about or visited all of them. At the early start of the church in France, we learned in religion class that there was a Le Havre branch that was one of the first. Also, when I went on a weekend trip to London, we took a ferry across the Channel the left from Calais. I liked being able to picture these places. Once the people arrived in France, one of the first landmarks they talk about seeing is the cathedral in Rouen. I also had the opportunity to see that, and share in their excitement. It is a very gothic, very large cathedral, and would have been very different than the things they were used to seeing.
Chapter 2: Voila Paris!
This chapter focused on the visitor's initial feelings when finally arriving in Paris. It seems that they went through a sort of cycle once they got here. They were shocked and maybe a little disappointed at what they saw. It was not entirely what they expected it to look like or feel like. Things were scary, and they didn't know how to say much. Eventually, they discovered the things like the Tuileries Gardens, the Louvre, Palais Royal, Montmartre, and the beautiful bridges, and realized how much they loved it. They also became more accustomed to the language and branched out into using sentences as opposed to just a few words here and there. They discuss the difference between French and American eating habits, how the French eat for the food, and Americans eat to fill the appetite.
I thought it was very interesting to see the similarities between how they felt upon arriving in Paris, and how I did for the first and even second time. The first ever time I was here, I was a little overwhelmed and not blown away by what I saw. I had a picture in my head and it didn't look like that. It has taken me all through this second trip to really SEE Paris, and it looks much more like the image I had in my head. I also struggled with the language, and was blown away by the bridges here. It's funny to hear about how the beggars are pretty much the same, and how much classier people seemed to dress even back then. It's nice to know that I am not the only one who has struggled coming to Paris, and I definitely won't be the last.
Chapter 3: Morse at the Louvre
This chapter is all about Morse and Cooper. Morse and Cooper were both very good friends, who had different interests and talents, but became very good at both of them. Morse was an artist, and the biggest achievement he worked on while in Paris was his painting of the Louvre. What he did was walk around the Louvre for days, picking out his favorite pieces. Then, he painted them as though they were all hanging in the same hall. He put together his own exhibit sort of, and it was a huge hit. Cooper used to come hang out with him in the Louvre all the time. Cooper himself was a writer. He was not very good at the beginning, and his first book was not a success. He gained success though with his book The Last of the Mohicans.
I liked reading about these two friends. They were different, but managed to get along and support each other in their talents. I especially liked hearing about Morse and his painting, because it is somewhat like the project we had to do for French class. Although he didn't have to analyze each painting and explain why they were put in the same exhibition, he went through and picked ones that he though should go together just like we had to. It is often hard for me to put time into perspective, especially with how old art is. Hearing about him painting them makes them seem new enough for me to wrap my head around, but still old enough to be impressive. I didn't like reading about Cooper as much, because I have never read that book, and the movie version confused me.
Chapter 4: The Medicals
This chapter was all about medicine, hospitals, and the Ecole du Medecin. Back in the 1800's, Paris' medical system was much more advanced and larger than most anything in America. The chapter before talked about the outbreak of cholera and the devastating effects it had on the people of the world. Paris hospitals treated close to 6,000 people, whereas hospitals in the U.S. treated only about 800. There were more hospitals in Paris, and they were all free of charge. The Ecole du Medecin was the largest school of medicine and much more advanced than in America. There wasn't actually much schooling going on in the U.S. at that time. It also talks about a man named Mason Warren, who was one of the best surgeons and doctor's in Paris at the time. He was renowned, and was also an instructor at the Ecole.
I was always under the impression that America was really advanced when it came to medicine and schooling, but apparently that was not always the case. It was very interesting to see how far along France was before America even really had any schooling for medicine. The parts about the bodies and the diseases that killed so many people was pretty gross and disturbing, and overall these two chapters combined has made me that much more grateful for modern medicine.
Chapter 5: American Sensations
The two men who were mainly highlighted in this chapter were George Healy and Samuel Morse. What we learn about Healy was that he came to France with the intention of being a master of portraiture. He was very talented and well received, especially for an American. He followed in the footsteps of and learned from Thomas Couture, and they became good friends. He painted the portraits of King Louis-Philippe, President Andrew Jackson, Foreign Minister Francois Guizot, and John Quincy Adams. Morse on the other hand, who had also travelled to Paris to practice painting, never made it as an artist. He was not very talented and eventually gave up. However, he would become known for something truly groundbreaking: the Morse code system, and the invention of the telegraph. He was disappointed by art, but created something that would last for years and change the lives of many people.
I was a little bit sad reading about Morse. He was so passionate about art and painting and he really gave it his best effort. I don't actually know what made him decide to invent the telegraph. It seems really strange that he would go from art to something so mechanical, but maybe he just wanted a complete change because art made him sad. It is sad to think that sometimes your passions may not be the same things as your talents. It was funny though, because the whole time I though he was the same guy who invented Morse code and the telegraph, but I was confused because he was being described as a painter. I had no idea that he was an artist ever in his life, or that he traveled to Paris.
Chapter 6: Change at Hand
This chapter is about the end of monarchy in France. The year was 1847, and Louis-Philippe was king. Not many French citizens liked him, and there was actually a lot of revolting and complaining. However, when the American minister came to Paris, he was surprised at how clean and nice and peaceful everything was. It didn't seem like there was that much of a problem. But, little did he know, that the economy was in a bad state, and the gap between the rich and the poor had become extremely large. Taxes were high, and people were just generally unhappy. The leaders in Paris didn't think that much would happen, but they were warned by Tocqueville that they were "sleeping on a volcano". The change that happened was very rapid and it happened faster than they thought. There were riots and barricades, and people were killed in the gunfire that ensued. Just the next day, Louis-Philippe abdicated the throne, and fled to England. He was the last king of France.
I did not know when the last monarchy was in France, or when it ended. Nor did I know who the last king was. It was a very educational chapter that really informed me well on what events took place that changed the whole governmental system of France to be what it is today. They mentioned Hotel de Ville, which is the center of local government right now, and very close to the institute. I have never been inside, but it was cool to realize that it has been a governmental building for centuries, and not just recently.
Chapter 7: A City Transformed
After Louis-Philippe fled, Louis Napoleon, the brother of Napoleon Bonaparte became the "prince-president" of France. He held many parties, was exiled twice, spent time in America, and escaped from prison. He was known as a bit of a womanizer as well. After a little time with things being relatively okay, he suddenly held a coup, and forced himself into power as the dictator Emperor Napoleon III, which began the 2nd empire. Apparently I was wrong about the end of the monarchy in France... You might think that the people would not be okay with this, but they voted in approval of this coup d'etat. Some people were very outraged however, including Victor Hugo who exiled himself to the Isle of Guernsey.
I learned that Napoleon III was the one who implemented many of the things about Paris that I love. For example, the radiating streets that surround the Arc de Triomphe were built by him. I love that part of Paris, and the view of all the streets from the top is fantastic. He really wanted to beautify things in Paris, and I appreciate that. I don't know if I would have cared that much if I was an actual citizen and resident here, but as a visitor, I appreciate a lot of the physical and structural changes he made to the city.
Chapter 8: Bound to Succeed
One of the men talked about in this chapter was named Augustus Saint-Gaudens. He was one of many people who came from America "bound to succeed" as the chapter title suggests. He was determined to make it as an artist, and nothing would stop him. More specifically, he wanted to be a sculptor. He was born in Ireland, but his family moved to New York when he was young. He started working at the age of 13, helping out at a cameo cutting shop. He was extremely talented, and loved working and taking classes in Paris.
This chapter also mentions the world expo, where many inventions and artists were put on display. I would have loved to see a world exposition. It sounds so exciting! All those extraordinary people and ideas, and people from all over the world would be there. I can't believe that something like the Eiffel Tower was at the world expo. First, that seems like a huge project just to have around for only a few years. But also, it is now an incredibly famous monument! I can't even imagine what it would have been like to see something like that when it was first made. It would be a great story to tell.
Chapter 9: Under Siege
The most interesting thing from this chapter was reading about how the Germans imprisoned all of Paris. It was the start of the war, and once it started, all of Paris turned into a "prison camp". No communication went in or out and people didn't go in or out. People were starving and dying but could not do anything because the entire area was surrounded by guards. They were up and down the streets and on the borders so no one could escape. People were constantly being accused as spies. George Healy became a generous helper to those in need, as well as Elihu Washburne. He was in charge of helping people get out of Paris, and helped many Germans escape to freedom. His family was poor, and he never forgot the example of hard work he had been given growing up.
This whole section of the book reminded me of Berlin and when the Berlin wall was built. It was a similar situation, in that people couldn't go in or out, and they were literally trapped. I guess the only difference was that this was not meant to be long term (I don't think) and there was no physical wall keeping the people in and out; just a wall of soldiers. It was cool to read about the area near the Bois de Boulogne, because that is where I am living right now. I think it would be really weird to see so many guards and soldiers around, however when there are soccer games here, there are many many police officers out with their full gear, and I can kind of imagine what it would have been like.
Chapter 10: Madness
Eventually, after the blockades of Paris, the Germans demanded a surrender from Paris. They promised that if Paris surrendered and gave up all their arms, they would not invade the city. The Parisians didn't have much of a choice. The areas of Alsace and Lorraine were turned over to Germany, however, as they were right on the German border. It was really neat to read about that, because we just visited Alsace. When we were there, I could definitely see and feel the German influence on the town. Much of the food was German, street signs and town names were in German, and I'm sure most people there speak German as well as French. It was really fascinating because now it is French, and probably will be forever, but at one point for however long, it was German. I feel a little bad for that town being passed around so much.
Another key point from this chapter was the Paris Commune. The commune was started when the citizens of Paris turned on each other. There was extreme violence against the war generals, and rioting and killings occurred at Montmartre. That was really the starting point for it all. The Paris Commune was a group that forced themselves to be in charge of Paris. They were "devoted to politics more representative of the will of the people". There were many protests, and general chaos overall. This whole thing sounded really confusing and frustrating. I don't like protesting or rioting, and I'm glad that it doesn't happen as much today as it has in the past. At least not in such a violent way. Paris just sounded like it was really out of control, which is really scary to think of.
Chapter 11: Paris Again
This chapter mentions the gift of the statue of Liberty from France to America, and why they did it. The French people really loved America and Americans, and really liked the idea of the American Republic. That form of government really appealed to them. In order to keep good relations with the U.S., they decided to create a monument called Liberty Lighting the World; also known as, the statue of Liberty. The French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi designed it. I knew most of these facts about Lady Liberty, but what I didn't know was that there were so many copies of it around Paris. It was really cool to see the large one in the 16th arrondissement, and the smaller one in the Jardin du Luxembourg. I have heard there is one more, but I'm not entirely sure where it is.
Another thing mentioned in this chapter was the impressionist painters. Mary Cassat was intrigued by artists like Degas, Monet, Renoir, Manet, and many others. She thought their style was extremely interesting but also a little strange. She ended up copying their style eventually. Her first impressionist piece was a portrait, and after that she really liked the influence of Velazquez. I, too, am a fan of impressionism. It seems funny to me that at the time, that was what was considered "modern art" and now we look at it as something that happened so long ago.
Chapter 12: The Farragut
I liked this chapter because it talked about the romantic love story between Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Augusta Homer, otherwise known as "Gus and Gussie". Both were American artists, and they fell in love while in Rome. Gussie wrote letters home to her mother describing how much she really liked Gus, and once it was official, Gus wrote to her parents asking for her hand in marriage. They were mainly okay with it, but did not approve the marriage until Gus got an art job that would bring in lots of commission. This is where the Farragut comes in. Gus was asked to create a memorial to Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, a Civil War hero. It was a big job, and Gus was lucky to be chosen. Gus made a large drawing of him, as well as a bust. He was successful, and was able to marry Gussie. A quote I really liked from this chapter is "His career and his marriage were riding on it. And he got it." I was so happy to read that! I really like Gus from his description in this book, and so I was really happy to hear that it all worked out well for them. Also, I think their names being so similar is strangely cute too.
Chapter 13: Genius in Abundance
This chapter dedicates a section to the 1884 Paris Salon. The Paris Salon was an exhibition that filled 31 of the giant rooms in the Palais de l'Industrie. There was a huge number of painters and other artists represented in the Salon, and it was extremely important to their career to be featured there. It was especially important to the American painters who became very prevalent in Paris. There were paintings on every wall, but the main painting that was talked about the most was the portrait of Amelie Gautreau. It was not received very well at all, because although she was dressed fully clothed, it showed her in a rather erotic way. Eventually it became popular, but after Sargent, the artist, had renamed it Madame X. We have talked about the Salon many times in Art History class and what works got accepted and rejected there, and I would love to see that painting in person to put it in perspective.
This chapter also talks about the Eiffel tower and it's being built. The tower was being built for the World Expo, and it was originally thought to be ugly and dangerous, and too large. It was also not meant to be permanent, but taken down sometime in the future. It was going to be the highest edifice ever built, which was definitely something impressive. I am really glad that it ended up being a permanent thing, because it is definitely iconic and one of my favorite monuments in Paris.
Chapter 14: Au Revoir, Paris!
This chapter was essentially a chapter about even more people who have come and gone from Paris. There have literally been so many people who made a permanent home, or just went for a visit to gain some experience, and who have become a household name. George Healy, who we read about earlier, eventually returned to America for good, settling down in Chicago with his wife Louisa. Unfortunately, also in this chapter, it talks about problems with Gus and Gussie's marriage. Gus had family issues that took a toll on him, and there was also rumors of an affair. They both struggled with health but still traveled back and forth from Paris to New York fairly often.
The thing that I really took away from this chapter could be easily summed up in one quote that was said about Healy, by his granddaughter Marie de Mare: "His love of France and the French never changed him from an out-and-out American." That is how I feel about my experience here in Paris. I think I have grown to really love it, and I have learned so much about it, but it has also made me really appreciate being an American. Another quote that I liked says, "Live all you can. It's a mistake not to. It doesn't matter what you do- but live. This place makes it all come over me. I see it now. I haven't done so- and now I'm old. It's too late. It has gone past me- I've lost it. You have time. You are young. Live!" I feel like this is what I decided to do by coming to Paris, and I intend to hold that with me as I go back home and continue my life. I need to hold onto the things that I have learned and felt here, and go back home and LIVE!
The first chapter discusses the types of people who came over to France in the early 1800's to pursue their artistic and intellectual dreams, and grow and learn from the culture. Some of these people included James Fenimore Cooper, the author of The Last of the Mohicans; Samuel F.B. Morse, a portrait painter; and Emma Willard, the first woman to take a stand for women's higher education. All of the people coming over had different interests or motives, but all were relatively similar in the fact that they did not know much about the language or culture they were about to immerse themselves in.
It talked about how they could take two different routes: a direct route to Le Havre at the mouth of the Seine, or the route to England and then across the channel to Calais or Boulogne-sur-Mer. It was really interesting to read about those places, because I have now learned about or visited all of them. At the early start of the church in France, we learned in religion class that there was a Le Havre branch that was one of the first. Also, when I went on a weekend trip to London, we took a ferry across the Channel the left from Calais. I liked being able to picture these places. Once the people arrived in France, one of the first landmarks they talk about seeing is the cathedral in Rouen. I also had the opportunity to see that, and share in their excitement. It is a very gothic, very large cathedral, and would have been very different than the things they were used to seeing.
Chapter 2: Voila Paris!
This chapter focused on the visitor's initial feelings when finally arriving in Paris. It seems that they went through a sort of cycle once they got here. They were shocked and maybe a little disappointed at what they saw. It was not entirely what they expected it to look like or feel like. Things were scary, and they didn't know how to say much. Eventually, they discovered the things like the Tuileries Gardens, the Louvre, Palais Royal, Montmartre, and the beautiful bridges, and realized how much they loved it. They also became more accustomed to the language and branched out into using sentences as opposed to just a few words here and there. They discuss the difference between French and American eating habits, how the French eat for the food, and Americans eat to fill the appetite.
I thought it was very interesting to see the similarities between how they felt upon arriving in Paris, and how I did for the first and even second time. The first ever time I was here, I was a little overwhelmed and not blown away by what I saw. I had a picture in my head and it didn't look like that. It has taken me all through this second trip to really SEE Paris, and it looks much more like the image I had in my head. I also struggled with the language, and was blown away by the bridges here. It's funny to hear about how the beggars are pretty much the same, and how much classier people seemed to dress even back then. It's nice to know that I am not the only one who has struggled coming to Paris, and I definitely won't be the last.
Chapter 3: Morse at the Louvre
This chapter is all about Morse and Cooper. Morse and Cooper were both very good friends, who had different interests and talents, but became very good at both of them. Morse was an artist, and the biggest achievement he worked on while in Paris was his painting of the Louvre. What he did was walk around the Louvre for days, picking out his favorite pieces. Then, he painted them as though they were all hanging in the same hall. He put together his own exhibit sort of, and it was a huge hit. Cooper used to come hang out with him in the Louvre all the time. Cooper himself was a writer. He was not very good at the beginning, and his first book was not a success. He gained success though with his book The Last of the Mohicans.
I liked reading about these two friends. They were different, but managed to get along and support each other in their talents. I especially liked hearing about Morse and his painting, because it is somewhat like the project we had to do for French class. Although he didn't have to analyze each painting and explain why they were put in the same exhibition, he went through and picked ones that he though should go together just like we had to. It is often hard for me to put time into perspective, especially with how old art is. Hearing about him painting them makes them seem new enough for me to wrap my head around, but still old enough to be impressive. I didn't like reading about Cooper as much, because I have never read that book, and the movie version confused me.
Chapter 4: The Medicals
This chapter was all about medicine, hospitals, and the Ecole du Medecin. Back in the 1800's, Paris' medical system was much more advanced and larger than most anything in America. The chapter before talked about the outbreak of cholera and the devastating effects it had on the people of the world. Paris hospitals treated close to 6,000 people, whereas hospitals in the U.S. treated only about 800. There were more hospitals in Paris, and they were all free of charge. The Ecole du Medecin was the largest school of medicine and much more advanced than in America. There wasn't actually much schooling going on in the U.S. at that time. It also talks about a man named Mason Warren, who was one of the best surgeons and doctor's in Paris at the time. He was renowned, and was also an instructor at the Ecole.
I was always under the impression that America was really advanced when it came to medicine and schooling, but apparently that was not always the case. It was very interesting to see how far along France was before America even really had any schooling for medicine. The parts about the bodies and the diseases that killed so many people was pretty gross and disturbing, and overall these two chapters combined has made me that much more grateful for modern medicine.
Chapter 5: American Sensations
The two men who were mainly highlighted in this chapter were George Healy and Samuel Morse. What we learn about Healy was that he came to France with the intention of being a master of portraiture. He was very talented and well received, especially for an American. He followed in the footsteps of and learned from Thomas Couture, and they became good friends. He painted the portraits of King Louis-Philippe, President Andrew Jackson, Foreign Minister Francois Guizot, and John Quincy Adams. Morse on the other hand, who had also travelled to Paris to practice painting, never made it as an artist. He was not very talented and eventually gave up. However, he would become known for something truly groundbreaking: the Morse code system, and the invention of the telegraph. He was disappointed by art, but created something that would last for years and change the lives of many people.
I was a little bit sad reading about Morse. He was so passionate about art and painting and he really gave it his best effort. I don't actually know what made him decide to invent the telegraph. It seems really strange that he would go from art to something so mechanical, but maybe he just wanted a complete change because art made him sad. It is sad to think that sometimes your passions may not be the same things as your talents. It was funny though, because the whole time I though he was the same guy who invented Morse code and the telegraph, but I was confused because he was being described as a painter. I had no idea that he was an artist ever in his life, or that he traveled to Paris.
Chapter 6: Change at Hand
This chapter is about the end of monarchy in France. The year was 1847, and Louis-Philippe was king. Not many French citizens liked him, and there was actually a lot of revolting and complaining. However, when the American minister came to Paris, he was surprised at how clean and nice and peaceful everything was. It didn't seem like there was that much of a problem. But, little did he know, that the economy was in a bad state, and the gap between the rich and the poor had become extremely large. Taxes were high, and people were just generally unhappy. The leaders in Paris didn't think that much would happen, but they were warned by Tocqueville that they were "sleeping on a volcano". The change that happened was very rapid and it happened faster than they thought. There were riots and barricades, and people were killed in the gunfire that ensued. Just the next day, Louis-Philippe abdicated the throne, and fled to England. He was the last king of France.
I did not know when the last monarchy was in France, or when it ended. Nor did I know who the last king was. It was a very educational chapter that really informed me well on what events took place that changed the whole governmental system of France to be what it is today. They mentioned Hotel de Ville, which is the center of local government right now, and very close to the institute. I have never been inside, but it was cool to realize that it has been a governmental building for centuries, and not just recently.
Chapter 7: A City Transformed
After Louis-Philippe fled, Louis Napoleon, the brother of Napoleon Bonaparte became the "prince-president" of France. He held many parties, was exiled twice, spent time in America, and escaped from prison. He was known as a bit of a womanizer as well. After a little time with things being relatively okay, he suddenly held a coup, and forced himself into power as the dictator Emperor Napoleon III, which began the 2nd empire. Apparently I was wrong about the end of the monarchy in France... You might think that the people would not be okay with this, but they voted in approval of this coup d'etat. Some people were very outraged however, including Victor Hugo who exiled himself to the Isle of Guernsey.
I learned that Napoleon III was the one who implemented many of the things about Paris that I love. For example, the radiating streets that surround the Arc de Triomphe were built by him. I love that part of Paris, and the view of all the streets from the top is fantastic. He really wanted to beautify things in Paris, and I appreciate that. I don't know if I would have cared that much if I was an actual citizen and resident here, but as a visitor, I appreciate a lot of the physical and structural changes he made to the city.
Chapter 8: Bound to Succeed
One of the men talked about in this chapter was named Augustus Saint-Gaudens. He was one of many people who came from America "bound to succeed" as the chapter title suggests. He was determined to make it as an artist, and nothing would stop him. More specifically, he wanted to be a sculptor. He was born in Ireland, but his family moved to New York when he was young. He started working at the age of 13, helping out at a cameo cutting shop. He was extremely talented, and loved working and taking classes in Paris.
This chapter also mentions the world expo, where many inventions and artists were put on display. I would have loved to see a world exposition. It sounds so exciting! All those extraordinary people and ideas, and people from all over the world would be there. I can't believe that something like the Eiffel Tower was at the world expo. First, that seems like a huge project just to have around for only a few years. But also, it is now an incredibly famous monument! I can't even imagine what it would have been like to see something like that when it was first made. It would be a great story to tell.
Chapter 9: Under Siege
The most interesting thing from this chapter was reading about how the Germans imprisoned all of Paris. It was the start of the war, and once it started, all of Paris turned into a "prison camp". No communication went in or out and people didn't go in or out. People were starving and dying but could not do anything because the entire area was surrounded by guards. They were up and down the streets and on the borders so no one could escape. People were constantly being accused as spies. George Healy became a generous helper to those in need, as well as Elihu Washburne. He was in charge of helping people get out of Paris, and helped many Germans escape to freedom. His family was poor, and he never forgot the example of hard work he had been given growing up.
This whole section of the book reminded me of Berlin and when the Berlin wall was built. It was a similar situation, in that people couldn't go in or out, and they were literally trapped. I guess the only difference was that this was not meant to be long term (I don't think) and there was no physical wall keeping the people in and out; just a wall of soldiers. It was cool to read about the area near the Bois de Boulogne, because that is where I am living right now. I think it would be really weird to see so many guards and soldiers around, however when there are soccer games here, there are many many police officers out with their full gear, and I can kind of imagine what it would have been like.
Chapter 10: Madness
Eventually, after the blockades of Paris, the Germans demanded a surrender from Paris. They promised that if Paris surrendered and gave up all their arms, they would not invade the city. The Parisians didn't have much of a choice. The areas of Alsace and Lorraine were turned over to Germany, however, as they were right on the German border. It was really neat to read about that, because we just visited Alsace. When we were there, I could definitely see and feel the German influence on the town. Much of the food was German, street signs and town names were in German, and I'm sure most people there speak German as well as French. It was really fascinating because now it is French, and probably will be forever, but at one point for however long, it was German. I feel a little bad for that town being passed around so much.
Another key point from this chapter was the Paris Commune. The commune was started when the citizens of Paris turned on each other. There was extreme violence against the war generals, and rioting and killings occurred at Montmartre. That was really the starting point for it all. The Paris Commune was a group that forced themselves to be in charge of Paris. They were "devoted to politics more representative of the will of the people". There were many protests, and general chaos overall. This whole thing sounded really confusing and frustrating. I don't like protesting or rioting, and I'm glad that it doesn't happen as much today as it has in the past. At least not in such a violent way. Paris just sounded like it was really out of control, which is really scary to think of.
Chapter 11: Paris Again
This chapter mentions the gift of the statue of Liberty from France to America, and why they did it. The French people really loved America and Americans, and really liked the idea of the American Republic. That form of government really appealed to them. In order to keep good relations with the U.S., they decided to create a monument called Liberty Lighting the World; also known as, the statue of Liberty. The French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi designed it. I knew most of these facts about Lady Liberty, but what I didn't know was that there were so many copies of it around Paris. It was really cool to see the large one in the 16th arrondissement, and the smaller one in the Jardin du Luxembourg. I have heard there is one more, but I'm not entirely sure where it is.
Another thing mentioned in this chapter was the impressionist painters. Mary Cassat was intrigued by artists like Degas, Monet, Renoir, Manet, and many others. She thought their style was extremely interesting but also a little strange. She ended up copying their style eventually. Her first impressionist piece was a portrait, and after that she really liked the influence of Velazquez. I, too, am a fan of impressionism. It seems funny to me that at the time, that was what was considered "modern art" and now we look at it as something that happened so long ago.
Chapter 12: The Farragut
I liked this chapter because it talked about the romantic love story between Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Augusta Homer, otherwise known as "Gus and Gussie". Both were American artists, and they fell in love while in Rome. Gussie wrote letters home to her mother describing how much she really liked Gus, and once it was official, Gus wrote to her parents asking for her hand in marriage. They were mainly okay with it, but did not approve the marriage until Gus got an art job that would bring in lots of commission. This is where the Farragut comes in. Gus was asked to create a memorial to Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, a Civil War hero. It was a big job, and Gus was lucky to be chosen. Gus made a large drawing of him, as well as a bust. He was successful, and was able to marry Gussie. A quote I really liked from this chapter is "His career and his marriage were riding on it. And he got it." I was so happy to read that! I really like Gus from his description in this book, and so I was really happy to hear that it all worked out well for them. Also, I think their names being so similar is strangely cute too.
Chapter 13: Genius in Abundance
This chapter dedicates a section to the 1884 Paris Salon. The Paris Salon was an exhibition that filled 31 of the giant rooms in the Palais de l'Industrie. There was a huge number of painters and other artists represented in the Salon, and it was extremely important to their career to be featured there. It was especially important to the American painters who became very prevalent in Paris. There were paintings on every wall, but the main painting that was talked about the most was the portrait of Amelie Gautreau. It was not received very well at all, because although she was dressed fully clothed, it showed her in a rather erotic way. Eventually it became popular, but after Sargent, the artist, had renamed it Madame X. We have talked about the Salon many times in Art History class and what works got accepted and rejected there, and I would love to see that painting in person to put it in perspective.
This chapter also talks about the Eiffel tower and it's being built. The tower was being built for the World Expo, and it was originally thought to be ugly and dangerous, and too large. It was also not meant to be permanent, but taken down sometime in the future. It was going to be the highest edifice ever built, which was definitely something impressive. I am really glad that it ended up being a permanent thing, because it is definitely iconic and one of my favorite monuments in Paris.
Chapter 14: Au Revoir, Paris!
This chapter was essentially a chapter about even more people who have come and gone from Paris. There have literally been so many people who made a permanent home, or just went for a visit to gain some experience, and who have become a household name. George Healy, who we read about earlier, eventually returned to America for good, settling down in Chicago with his wife Louisa. Unfortunately, also in this chapter, it talks about problems with Gus and Gussie's marriage. Gus had family issues that took a toll on him, and there was also rumors of an affair. They both struggled with health but still traveled back and forth from Paris to New York fairly often.
The thing that I really took away from this chapter could be easily summed up in one quote that was said about Healy, by his granddaughter Marie de Mare: "His love of France and the French never changed him from an out-and-out American." That is how I feel about my experience here in Paris. I think I have grown to really love it, and I have learned so much about it, but it has also made me really appreciate being an American. Another quote that I liked says, "Live all you can. It's a mistake not to. It doesn't matter what you do- but live. This place makes it all come over me. I see it now. I haven't done so- and now I'm old. It's too late. It has gone past me- I've lost it. You have time. You are young. Live!" I feel like this is what I decided to do by coming to Paris, and I intend to hold that with me as I go back home and continue my life. I need to hold onto the things that I have learned and felt here, and go back home and LIVE!
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