Finally...an update

It's been way to long since I posted and life in Paris is starting to get interesting...

A lot of people have been asking me about the inauguration and how I celebrated as well as what the reaction of people here was. Well...It was Amazing! Almost every anglophone bar/library/church/etc. was showing the inauguration live. The first place I tried to watch it was an American bar called Harry’s. I got there about an hour before the inauguration started and the bar was so full that they stopped letting people in. There were a ton of us standing outside and everyone started to discuss where they would go to watch the inauguration now that they couldn’t get in to Harry’s. I felt kind of bad for the people who had friends inside that they couldn’t get to. 

Anyways...I turned around and saw a Belgian bar that had huge television broadcasting the inauguration - jackpot. The bar was packed with Americans, English speakers and French people. We were all shouting and clapping and celebrating the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. People were screaming and shouting and celebrating in the street and there were reporters and journalists taking pictures and doing interviews- it was kind of crazy! It was amazing to be with Americans celebrating abroad and also to see how enthusiastic the French and everyone else were and are about our new President.

"Captain America" - A Parisian headline on inauguration day 

Obama cookies Courtney sent me in my birthday package - So fun! 

I’m incredibly grateful to have met people in Paris who have kept my life interesting and occupied while I wait for classes to start. Laura is an American I met on inauguration day who recently moved to Paris after living in Milan for two years. We have an amazing amount of stuff(I hate to use that word, but it works) in common such as a ridiculous and insatiable passion for good food, dancing and music. Both of us are also vegetarians and very familiar with the fabulous falafel at L’As de Falafel - we made our way there shortly after the inauguration. Last Friday, we went to an energetic North African concert at a bar/restaurant/lounge called Le French Kwa.  They have free musical performances all the time and the ambience is very chaleureux as the French would say. We’re going Samba dancing tomorrow and salsa dancing this weekend - can’t wait! I figure I better take full advantage of my free time while I’m not in school. 

I’ve also met two French women with whom(that sounds so proper) I’m doing a French/English exchange. Anne-Hélène is very artsy, works in communication and speaks very well already. She wants someone to speak with so she doesn’t lose her English which I totally understand; I don’t want to lose my French. Anita is a television presenter who wants to break into movies. She’s super cute, funny and wants to improve her English for her job - she’s looking at working for a more prominent television channel which requires her to do interviews in English. 

I’m getting kind of nervous about classes starting because I have no idea what to expect. Some of my classmates are coming in with previous pastry experience which makes me even more nervous. The one thing I do have going for me is that I already speak French. We’re not required to speak French when we start, but seeing that our exams are in French and we’ll be working with other French students in our school restaurant and French chefs when we do our internships, it definitely becomes an advantage if not a necessity. Only 12 more days until a fabulous year of French pastry! 

* By the way...finally posted pictures from my birthday on my first post - Thanks Amanda!

My camera went in for repair right before I left the US (perfect timing) but we're going to be reunited this weekend and I'll have tons of pictures to post.