"amsterdamaged"

before anyone starts jumping to conclusions about the title of this post, i was told this is a common phrase used by the dutch and people traveling to amsterdam. i was in no way shape or form "damaged," though i'm still recuperating from the lack of sleep.

i will say though, that at the airport before i left my dad told me "to suck the marrow from the bone on this trip." so dad, i think i sucked all the marrow out of amsterdam.

before heading to amsterdam i met up with some other students who i learned were traveling there as well. as brave as i try to be, im not comfortable taking the metro alone really late. i met up with some very friendly fellow americans and we headed to the bus together. when waiting in line i also met another girl who goes to UGA and grew up in Buckhead. we know a ton of the same people, such a small world!

we boarded the bus around 11:30 pm and weren't scheduled to arrive in amsterdam until 6:30 am the following day. it was a long bus ride, and i barely got any sleep, but alas, we made it to amsterdam. i hopped in a cab with my new georgia friend and we were off! i made it to my friend Vicki's house around 7 in the morning. she and i grew up going to camp together and became really close when i was 13 and she was 15. her older sister carolyn (who also lives in amsterdam) was also one of my counselor's at camp, so we all go way back. i was beyond excited to reconnect with these girls and to see the city they left the states for.

after a quick shower to freshen up i had to start getting ready for my disneyland paris audition.
vicki came with me and we got to the audition place at around 9:45 am. i've been to quite a few disney auditions before, but this was intense. there were 300 other girls there. minimum. and i was probably one of the shortest girls there. awkward. we got measured first, and then watched a short presentation about the contracts they'd be offering. i was definitely the only american in the room, so i thought i'd have a pretty good chance. we split up into groups and did an "animation routine" which really meant we posed like a pirate, a cowboy, one of the 7 dwarves, a princess, and a villain. then we waited to see if we made it onto the next round. i was cut. honestly i was completely shocked. i've never been cut so early in an audition before, and i'm bummed they didn't even get to see me dance. i got 15 seconds for them to look at me in various poses and then i was dismissed. i assume they didn't have any contracts for girls of my size, considering i don't see how i could have messed up posing. whatever, it was an experience.

then vicki and i headed to a pretty central square in amsterdam and got to see a flashmob. it was awesome. we met up with some of her friends and had lunch, it was good, but definitely not as good as french cuisine. i've become so spoiled with the food here, though not gonna lie, i REALLY miss chipotle.

i got to experience snow for the first time. ive woken up to snow before in both atlanta and clemson, but to be walking down the street with little flurries getting in my eyes, this was a first for me. and it was COLD. we walked around for a bit, stopping in various shops to look around and take pictures. i saw the market where they sell flowers and it was beautiful and smelled heavenly. right across was a marijuana cafe, didn't smell so nice, but now i get to say i went into a marijuana cafe in amsterdam. it's crazy to me that people can just smoke it on the streets, but no mom and dad, i didn't smoke any.

in the evening, we headed back to vicki's to take a nap. we slept for about an hour and a half and then were suddenly woken up by her friends banging pots and pans together in her room. not cool. we went over to carolyn's for dinner and i got to see chelsea hartline! another long lost camp friend. it was crazy that we were both visiting at the same time, but such a gift. we sat around the table, laughing and sharing stories for hours. it was some serious soul talk, but all three of these girls are so easy to talk to and relate to. all are so confident in who they are, i admire them so much.

later that evening, vicki and i went out with some of her friends, but honestly didn't stay out too long. we were tired and it was snowing. we did however carry the fiesta back to vicki's room, and people were over until 5 in the morning. i don't know how these people do it. i can barely make it to 1 am with friends back home.

the next day was a completely chill day. i walked around, met some more friends, and then hung out with vicki back at her place. her friends are wonderful and i love the dynamic all the students have with one another. it reminded me a bit of living on the hall and constantly having people in my room. (shout out to my chi o sistahs back home. i miss you more than i can put into words.) just like the girls in my sorority, these people are not only fun to be around and go out with, but also great listeners, and even better talkers. it was a taste of home, and i loved it.
before heading to bed we went into vicki's neighbor's room. its so freaking legit. a bunch of them splatter painted the wall but left a huge white space to watch movies from a projector. i was amazed. we watched pirates of the caribbean.
the next morning i woke up at 6 am to catch my bus back to paris. i was exhausted, but glad to have been able to spend the weekend around such wonderful and loving people. amsterdam was a blast and i recommend it to anyone looking for a fun weekend getaway.

happy to be back in paris now. it already felt like i was coming home, and the friends i've made here are absolute gems. they make living here a breeze.


classes start tomorrow which is exciting, but nerve wracking, considering i haven't been in a classroom setting in two months. and one of my favorite clemson tigers is coming to stay with me this weekend! can't wait for you to get here breen! paris better watch out this weekend- the tigers are on the prowl.

museum monday

ok so the palace of versailles isn't technically a museum, and i went there on friday (2/8) but im splitting this weekend's blog up into 2 parts- museums and amsterdam.              

 i'm a huge fan of marie antoinette. mainly the movie, but i still think she's pretty hardcore. friday we headed to versailles as a group, we took the RER which is basically like the metro, just a bit slower and with fewer stops. we arrived at the palace and were forced into group pictures. normally i wouldnt mind, but the weather was beyond cold and my toes were frozen. after what seemed like a never-ending photo shoot, we went inside and everyone split up. i walked around with betsy, and another girl in the program named emily (andie, you were missed dude). the palace was spectacular. the art work on the ceilings is so rich in color and the detail is impeccable. the walls are plastered with fancy fabrics and the chandeliers sparkle. its truly majestic (and to think it was only a summer home). 

the hall of mirrors was amazing. the walls were completely covered in glass, everywhere you turned you could check yourself out. some may say marie antoinette was vain, i personally think she's brilliant. we took typical tourist pictures... sorry im not sorry. 

we ate lunch in the castle's small cafe and then headed to the gift shop to look around. i plan to go back when it's warmer so i can sit in the gardens and reflect, rather than be focused on how cold i am. i didn't even make an attempt to sit in the gardens on this trip.

here i am being a diva.

our day trip to versailles ended with a photo op with a man dressed up like an egyptian mummy. he was completely still until i put a coin in his small bowl, he then bowed and i jumped and shrieked like a little girl. he caught me off guard. we posed and then went on our merry way back to paris.

today, monday the 11th, after a 7 hour bus ride back to paris i finally made it. it's funny, i've only been here a week, but i really did feel like i was coming back home. i missed my friends and was ready to see them, and was excited to be back in my new city. i get a gold star from the metro guru. i have now successfully arrived on time, and in one piece to many destinations in and around paris completely on my own. this is no easy task my friends, trust me. 

i met up with ze friends at the isa office at 4:10. we were getting ready to head to le centre pompidou, which is the museum of modern art. but first, a photo in front of notre dame, and i had to get a sammich.            

as we were walking down the stairs to the metro this man came sprinting up the stairs, and before i knew it i was being hit in the face with my own baguette. he ran off and i stood there completely confused. why was this man trying to beat me with my sandwich? 

turns out, the idiot was trying to steal my purse and pushed me in an attempt to take it off my shoulder. he failed, and i was able to continue eating in peace. take that suckah. 

we arrived at the centre pompidou just as the sun was beginning to set. don't get me wrong, i LOVE my clemson sunsets, but even i was blown away by how beautiful the colors in the sky were. different shades of pinks, blues, oranges, yellows, and purples, were painted across the sky. it was an exhibit of its own. i would post a picture but it wouldn't do it any justice. it was beautiful. i'll leave it to you and your imagination to try and picture it.

we went inside and i immediately knew this was the artwork that i had been waiting to see. everything was so abstract, so full of color, and it was fun trying to think about what the artist must have been inspired by when creating the pieces. 

here are a few of my favorites:

 selfies for days.

we then went in to the Dali exhibit. it's pretty neat to see a picture live that you've looked at for so many years in a text book. 

its really small. but so cool.

i also really loved this piece.

dali is quite the character. for those of you who know his work, some of it is pretty morbid, a lot is sexual, and there are a lot of paintings that have jesus and the crucifixion incorporated into them, though i doubt this artist was the least bit of a "religion man". 

 i like dali because it is evident through his art that he always marched to the beat of his own drum. he painted what he wanted, said whatever came to mind, and expressed himself clearly in his work. these are things i hope to come back to the states with, a confidence to march to my own drum and the strength to follow my own body, mind, and soul, regardless of what those around me think or do, just in a less raunchy way than my man salvador.

 before heading back to my homestay, i got a quick look at the eiffel tower. i've yet to see it up close, but even from far away it is so beautiful.

stay tuned for my amsterdam blog. it's a comin soon.

conquering paris on my own

ok so the title of this post is a little extreme, but today was a day of accomplishment, and i'm feeling more and more confident living life as a parisien.
today was our final meeting with ISA (thank you baby jesus). i understand why they do it, but it's so hard to keep my eyes open during the powerpoint presentations. needless to say im SO happy i don't have to sit through any more slides.
today's meeting was about housing. unfortunately i'm still in a bit of a pickle with housing. so if any of you reading this know of anyone in paris looking for a roommate or a sub letter feel free to let me know :). paris is extremely beautiful, but there's a discomfort i feel in the neighborhood i was placed in. i dont feel safe walking alone, and as a first timer in paris, the more security i feel the better. shout out to my dad for being awesome and helping me talk to ISA about changing my assignment. you rock my socks off dad.
here's a picture of the street i live on (for the moment). for whoever's seen Taken, does this not look like the red door? just sayin...

after the housing meeting, betsy, andie, and i went to exchange our american money into euros and then went into a store betsy had been raving about. the clothes were fabulous. so chic and fun, but even on sale, some of the things were 500 euros. i suppose i will have to wait for a wealthy french prince charming to sweep me off my feet before i buy anything from maje...or any other high end store in paris.

we were hungry and freezing so we went into a restaurant to grab lunch. it's so nice to sit down and have waiters speak to you in french-it means you're doing something right. we sat down and ordered completely in french. i order a glass of the house red, a bowl of onion soup, and a sandwich with ham, tomatoes, and goat cheese.   it was delicieux! i was so full afterwards.
we finished our meal, and made our way to the metro. i had a meeting with a potential internship, and the girls wanted to do some shopping. we made it to the palais royal (our stop for both excursions) and went our separate ways. i put on my big girl panties, and walked the streets of paris for the first time all on my own. i was definitely a bit on edge. i clutched my bag very close to my body and probably checked to see if someone was following me every 20 seconds, but i know i will feel more at ease and at home as time passes. i found the office fairly easy and went inside. i wore all black (all french women do) and wore my studded boots and metallic leggings. i had to be as fashion forward as possible while still keeping warm in the freezing weather. the company is called dice kayek and it is a pair of fashion designers from istanbul who are stationed both there and here in paris. (shout out to Jack Portman for helping me get this incredible opportunity to meet with them). i walked into the office and was greeted by secretaries and seamstresses, all with friendly smiles. i then followed an assistant to meet with one of the fashion designers to talk about what i could help with. the room was surrounded by racks of beautiful dresses and other clothing items, all of which these two women have designed. i'm not sure what all i will be doing just yet, but i was hired and i start next week. it isn't a paid gig, but the opportunity in itself is pay enough, and if i get to attend even ONE party during fashion week, i will have died and gone to Heaven. fingers are crossed.
after i left the office i had about 30 minutes to kill before meeting up with my roommate to head back home, so i went into a small cafe and wrote in my planner/read cosmo.
when i'm in clemson, i try really hard to avoid eating alone-makes me look like a loner. but here, i felt so at peace. i was sitting in a parisien cafe, sipping tea, people watching, and basking in the excitement of my new fashion internship. i felt on top of the world. and to top all that off, i feel as though i have conquered the metro system (knock on wood, because now i feel like im going to hop on a train and end up in the red light district on accident..) the metro system makes getting around in paris so simple, and although i sometimes have to hold my breath and plug my nose as not to breathe in the sometimes putrid smells, i enjoy being thrown into the mix of the well dressed, straight faced, frenchies.

i came home and crashed for two hours and ruined plans of going out tonight due to an awful headache. i ate dinner and then had the privilege of skyping my favorite little clemson freshman:my kathy baby! the homesickness is subsiding, but i miss my friends every single day. i wish i could just move everyone to paris with me. 

tomorrow we head to versailles to tour the castle and then i will take a bus to amsterdam to visit old friends and audition for disneyland paris. exciting weekend ahead, hopefully ill have good stories to tell on monday when i return!

amis en paris

i'm living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. i get to eat delicious food, drink tasty wine, and smell crepes on every corner. im studying at a world renown school and improving my french while i'm here. but something was missing. 
it's scary having to start fresh- new city, new people, i have to learn the metro system, and try not to get lost, and living in such a large and busy city can feel really lonely (which hasn't helped my homesickness at all). but today, despite the rain and gray clouds, things were looking brighter. 
meeting everyone at the isa orientation yesterday was not only overwhelming but also pretty awkward. everyone is trying to figure everything out, and asking themselves questions like: where do i belong? where should i sit? should i eat that second croissant, or will people judge me? it's a lot to handle. 
i met each student but still couldn't figure out who my friends would be, not the greatest feeling. i called my best friend at clemson (shout out Brenna Theodore) last night for her 21st birthday, and being the good friend she is, she reassured me that i would have friends in no time- her magic fairy dust worked.          

                                                   today, a friendship began to blossom.
betsy and andie. as if their names aren't cool enough. these two girls and i just seemed to click, and i was so grateful. the friendship basically started when a group of asian tourists saw the three of us walking and started shrieking and asked to take a picture with us. they thought we were pretty and french and pushed their son into a picture with us. it was semi awkward but mostly precious and very flattering. (note to self: wearing sunglasses and all black makes one look more french...and prettier) 
our day started at the isa office, listening to another powerpoint presentation, this time about the sorbonne. we then walked to one of the campus' buildings to take our placement tests. the test wasn't easy. there were definitely some words i didn't know and the listening section was difficult. hopefully i'll be placed in the most appropriate level. 
after our test, betsy, andie, and i spent way too much time trying to find somewhere to eat (this is a very tourist-y thing to do and we're trying to blend in as much as possible. get more tourists to take pictures with us, duh) we finally found a place and it was delicious. we ordered a variety of things. i ordered a croque monsieur and a glass of white wine. so delicious. conversation flowed, and we laughed continuously. paris is SO much more fun with friends. 

we then took the metro to the louvre. it was so amazing. i was in awe of it. even the outside was art. it was truly incredible. here are some pictures outside the louvre. the guy with the chalk wasn't directly outside of the louvre but he was close! and so talented!

i took that. im artsy.

this is us outside of the louvre.

after we got lost in the egyptian art exhibit, we were exhausted, and our feet were in pain. we left the louvre and headed to a coffee shop for a crepe and a cup of hot tea. 

  

the day ended with a very happy and at peace hannah. the friends i've just made are wonderful. deep thinkers, intellectual, funny, interesting, and slightly weird. i like them.

 i ate dinner at my host family's, and we had curry on turkey. it was really yummy. and for dessert, more cheese. 

tomorrow i have a meeting with a fashion designer here in paris who i'm hoping to intern for while i am here. this means i have to wear a very "fashion forward" outfit tomorrow. now the search starts for the perfect first day outfit.

One final shoutout to my sister Olivia. It's officially her birthday in Paris and its killing me to not be there with her. happy sweet 16 nig nog.

les premiers jours

the french airport is incredibly confusing, and people move as if in a stampede- no one is afraid to maul you to the ground. after getting off the plane, i somehow found baggage claim and was able to retrieve both bags without any problems (thank you luggage gods!) i put my bags on a cart and began my search for terminal C, porte 8. i must have asked 10 people where this door was and it still took me way too long to find it. once i got there, i saw three other girls who looked just as culture shocked as i was and asked if they were with ISA. they were. phew. i was no longer alone in this.
we wandered the airport for nearly 45 minutes before finding an ISA staff member, but once we did, we got instruction packets, a metro pass, maps, and we were sent off in a shuttle to our new homes.
we dropped off the first student (Evy) in the 15th arrondissement. for those of you who don't know who are reading this blog, paris is divided into 20 different regions, each being called an arrondissement. the apartment building and the location were spectacular. she was right in the middle of beautiful cream colored buildings, each with their own unique design. i was jealous, but excited to see where i would be living. we bid Evy farewell and continued driving.
about 15 minutes later we arrived at my homestay. i will admit i was disappointed from the get go of the outer appearance and the location. it was nothing like what we'd just seen...
my roommate gaelle and i went into the apartment and were greeted by a lovely woman named Lucile Hirel. she is so sweet and so accommodating, but as the day went on and we explored the arrondissement (19th) a bit more, we realized it may not be the place for us for these next four months. im going to defend myself for a minute to those of you who assume that im being dramatic and over the top...this time, im not. i called my dad to express my concerns with the location. some google travel websites said that the 19th arrondissement is "not for the faint of heart.." not very comforting. while the woman who lives here is wonderful, this really wasn't the "parisien experience" my roommate and i were looking for. we don't need buckingham palace...but a place i feel safe walking alone would be appreciated. hopefully the housing will be sorted out soon so i can unpack all of my things.
we had a lovely dinner. salad, pork chop, mashed potatoes, and lots of cheese and bread. it's a good thing im doing so much walking, because the food here is so rich!
after dinner i skyped a few friends and talked to my family. im hoping the homesickness will fizzle out quickly. so far there have been no tears, praise the lord, but im definitely not in my usual spirits. i miss home.
i fell asleep around 11:30 pm and slept all through the night.

this morning i woke up at 7:25 am in order to shower, eat breakfast, dress up cute for my orientaion, and not get lost on the metro before my 10 am meeting with ISA. the office is located directly across from notre dame, so the walk was absolutely gorgeous and i kept oo-ing and ah-ing past every shop we saw.

we got to orientation and i met the other isa students who will be studying at the sorbonne as well. everyone seems really interesting and im excited to make friends with people. im also challenged by how well some of them speak french. ive been a big fish in a small pond, especially in clemson, so its nice having other students my age who are just as fluent in french and even more so than i am- keeps me on my toes.
we ate lunch at a small cafe that served crepes. i ordered a fromage et jambon crepe. (ham and cheese). twas absolutely delicious. but i have to be cautious of money here, as a glass of soda costs nearly 6 euros in most places.
after orientation ended i was able to meet up with my grandparents who are in Paris for meetings. they are the coolest grandparents in the entire world, i kid you not, as they were on their way to the french ambassador's home and were sharing a rendez vous with the president of france the next day. im telling you, theyre the coolest. and most attractive.

after a short visit, i headed back to the metro so i would be back home in time for dinner. i got some photos of the paris opera and another building covered in lights- i think thats one of the things i love most about paris, there are lights everywhere, it brings me a comfort i don't know how to explain. i love it. 

last but not least was my metro ride home. i got on the metro and heard beautiful jazz music coming from a trumpet. it was this guy and he played our whole ride home. i love this city. i love the music, the lights, the culture, the food, the fast paced lifestyle, the trends, the french, i could go on and on. i feel like this city was made for me.