pause. breath. relax.

I'm at the Holiday Inn CDG, which is roughly ten minutes from the airport by shuttle.  We all left our other hotel at 7:00 am, and the rest of the group should be about halfway home by now.  After good-byes, I lugged my bags all over Terminal 2, making my way to the SNCF train station to catch the shuttle.  By the time I got to the hotel, I was exhausted.  The nice man at the front desk let me check in four hours early (and I did it all in French!!), so I took a shower and immediately crashed on my big comfy queen bed.  I woke up four hours later, just in time to skype with Mom and Dad.

I was really tempted to just stay in all afternoon, but I didn't have any food and the hotel restaurant is super expensive.  So I went for a little walk, and with the help of the map I found in the lobby, I found a little grocery store and bought a snack, dinner, and breakfast for 11 euro (we regularly spent 15 for a dinner in Paris).  Now I'm set!  I'm back on this wonderful bed in my pajamas, eating chocolate and watching Avatar in French on the flat screen TV. 

Last weekend, I made the trek to Lyon to visit Noellie and her family.  It was SO good to see them again!  I didn't take many pictures (yeah, yeah - I know!), and I realized it was because I'm intensely protective of those memories.  I don't want to share them!  That little house in the foothills of the alps is one of my favorite places in the world - it's too wonderful to be put into words.  If you want to see it, I guess you'll just have to come with me next time I go!  Here's the train station photo, though:

My last few days in Paris were pretty laid-back.  I did some last last-minute shopping with Kristina on Monday, took Flat Stanley to the Eiffel Tower for my first-graders yesterday, and finished packing in the early hours of the morning.  I think I'll repack again tonight before I go to bed.

I have an early morning ahead of me - my plane leaves at 8:00 am.  I'm planning to get up at 5:30, brush my teeth, throw some clothes on, and catch the 6:00 shuttle.  Anything later than that would be cutting it too close.

Paris has been FABULOUS, but I'm ready for a change.  I'm looking forward to another new experience in Ethiopia!  I don't quite have all of my photos up yet (and I might not until I get home), but you will eventually be able to find them HERE and HERE.  Also, since I'm leaving Paris, I won't be posting here anymore.  Follow our group blog for Ethiopia at http://tlcethiopia.wordpress.com/.

Thank you all for your prayers, support, and shared excitement!

Lots of love,
Ellen

musings

All of a sudden, I'm down to one week.  Where did the time go?  I have had such a wonderful time here that I'm not quite ready to leave...but at the same time, I'm so ready to explore Ethiopia. Tomorrow is my last day with Carmen and Erin, since I'm leaving for the weekend and they leave for their semester in Rennes while I'm gone.

Even though I know I could never live in a big city, I've really enjoyed my time here.  I have the routine down - breakfast, class, visitesvisitesvisites, nap, supper, homework, bed - and it's comfortable.  I can walk into Monoprix and know where the mangoes and bread and chocolate are, I know my way around our neighborhood, I can get anywhere I want to go on the Metro with just a quick glance at the map, and I can interact with French people.  When I was here last time, I hoped I would someday be able to speak French well enough to blend in.  Here I am.
 
We're kind of at the end of our visites obligatoires for class - there are only a few left on my list (which is good, because I only have a few days left!).  So instead of running around Paris, I've been frantically writing postcards, shopping, and working on my final project.  The assignment is to give a fifteen-minute oral presentation on a subject that a) has to do with Paris, and b) is interesting.  I'm throwing myself into the issue of immigration - the problems it creates for children who have to live in two worlds, and the children's literature that helps them cope.  Although there are immigrants here from all over the world, I'm focusing on African immigrants from the former French colonies.  The topic is absolutely fascinating to me!

I bought myself some little pink roses yesterday.  They're sitting on my bedside table in a plastic cup, next to my mile-high stack of books, making me happy.

Friday morning, I take the Metro to the train station and the train to Lyon.  Noellie will be waiting for me on the platform.  For those of you who didn't get to meet her, Noellie stayed with us for a month during the summer of 2005; when I went to France in 2006, I prolonged my trip to spend two weeks with her and her family.  I haven't seen her since.  My French wasn't exactly proficient then (neither was her English), but we managed, and we bonded despite the language barrier.  I can't wait to see what happens now that we can actually speak to each other!  We'll be staying with her parents, so I'll get to see them again, too.

I know I've been awful at updating, but I'm so much busier than I thought I would be!  I haven't even had a chance to finish the Agatha Christie novel I brought with me.  :)

More pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2070404&id=1278330038&l=f8563a04d8 (random visits)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2071220&id=1278330038&l=f55236b812 (mostly Versailles)

Love you all!
Ellen

solitude

For the first time in a week, I'm finally alone.  I have the room to myself while the other girls are out to eat (usually we eat together, but I ate early tonight).  This is absolutely magical.  I think I'm enjoying the quiet most - Paris never stops!  Our hotel is on a fairly busy street, so there's always traffic going by, and sometimes I wake up to voices at three in the morning.  And there's always somebody else in the room!  I love my roommates, but I'm an introvert - I just need some time to myself.

Since I wrote last, we've been to at least a billion more places, including the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Mont Martre and Sacre Coeur, the Conciergerie (the prison where Marie Antoinette was held), and the National Library (SO COOL!).  Throw in a few more churches and a whole ton of people, and you've got a pretty decent idea of what my last few days have been like.

So, there's this great little bakery across the street from our hotel.  They sell baguettes for just under a euro.  I'm eating one right now.  With Nutella.

Tomorrow we go to Versailles - guess I'd better empty out my camera tonight!


If you want to see a few (hundred) more pictures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2070145&id=1278330038&l=d6a7bf3361
 
Ellen

oh la la!

I don't know where to start - we've crammed so many things into the last two days!  I've visited L'Hotel de Ville (city hall), the Museum of Medieval History, the Pantheon, the University of Paris, the Jardin des Plantes and the zoo, Roman arenas, and a whole ton of churches - Notre Dame again, St-Etienne, St-Gervais, St-Severin, and St-Germain-de-Pres.  I've eaten Italian, Chinese, Mexican, and about a million baguettes and at least as many croissants.  I'm just waiting for my feet to walk out on me, too, since we've done it all on foot.

Since I'm completely worn out, I think I'll let the pictures speak for themselves rather than trying to put my crazy thoughts into words.  Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2069922&id=1278330038&l=82699aa01f

Ellen

wandering feet, wondering mind

I'm in Paris!  We arrived at 7:45 am yesterday and took taxis to the hotel.  Since I wasn't able to sleep on the plane, I skipped lunch to take a nap, and ended up sleeping most of the afternoon.  We had a short group meeting at 6, and then I went out to dinner with some of the girls. 

Last time I was here, the culture shock reigned supreme.  I immediately fell in love with the city, but because I felt limited with my French, there was a lot that I didn't understand.  Things are SO much easier this time around!  I can understand all of the signs and the ads, and I can communicate comfortably with shopkeepers.  I can't wait to see where I'm at by the end of the month!

We're staying at the Hotel Claude Bernard (http://www.hotelclaudebernardparis.com/) on the Rue des Ecoles.  It's right in the middle of the Latin Quarter, which is historically the center of learning in Paris.  The hotel is gorgeous and rather spacious for a building of it's type, and the people here love us (the St. Olaf group stays here every year).

For class, we split up - Group A had class at 9 am today, and Group B at 10:45.  We'll switch times every day so we all get a chance to stay out late and sleep in.  Class was in our room today.  Sitting on the beds for class makes for a much more relaxed atmosphere, and it saves us the cost of renting a classroom.  :)

I spent some time wandering around the neighborhood with a couple of the girls after class.  We stopped at a little boutique for some postcards, a creperie for lunch (a crepe with Nutella = best lunch ever), a librairie so I could buy my Paris guide for class, and at Monoprix to buy some groceries.  Sitting on my bed eating a baguette, looking out my window at the busy people in this beautiful old city... well, it doesn't get much more authentically Parisian than this!

This afternoon, I went on the first of our visites obligatoires at the Musee Cluny (http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/) with Erin and Carmen.  We saw the famous Unicorn tapestries and several other special exhibits, but what I loved most was the place itself.  The architecture dates back to the 3rd century, when the Romans used the site for public baths.  The ruins have since been built over several times, but they're still there, and they're stunning.  After the museum, we wandered toward Notre Dame and spent some time drinking in the atmosphere. 

The whole city is full of history and mystery - I'm so glad I have the opportunity to really explore.  I think my feet are done for today, though!  J'ai mal aux pieds.  I think I'll do some work with my photos on Facebook - I'm going to have to do a little of that every day or I'll never be able to catch up! - and then find some dinner. 

Gros bisous a vouz tous!
Ellen

P.S. Check out the view from my window!

Ready.

It's almost midnight.  I still have to take care of a few things before I go to bed, but I'm pretty much ready to get this show on the road.

Plan for tomorrow:
7:00 am - Wake up early to say good-bye to Mom and David.
8:00 am - Finish packing.
9:00 am - Head out (in the new Malibu!) with Dad.  Stop for coffee.
9:45 am - Detour: St. Olaf.  Prepare dorm room for February.
10:15 am - Continue heading north.
10:45 am - Pit stop at Barnes & Noble in Burnsville.  Lunch.
11:30 am - Drive to airport.
12:15 pm - Meet the crew near Delta check-in kiosks.
3:35 pm - FLY.

For those of you who may be inadequately informed: I leave for Paris tomorrow.  I'll be there until January 27th, when I will fly to Amsterdam to meet a group of wonderful souls from Trinity.  We'll continue on to Ethiopia, serving on a missions-type trip through Compassion International for nine days.  I get home on February 4th, and second semester classes start at St. Olaf on the 7th.

I'll let you know as soon as I arrive safely in Paris.  :)

Ellen