Well, the past few weeks have been nothing short of exhausting: lots of homework, lack of sleep, and sadness.
But, my mom and sister visited this past week and, even though I was exhausted, the timing could not have been better. It took them a few days to get over the jet lag, but we packed a lot of activities into the six days they were here. We had a week full of visiting fun touristy places that I've already visited, but also new places where I've been wanting to go. It was a fun week for all. Glad you guys got experience a bit of Paris with me!
But, my mom and sister visited this past week and, even though I was exhausted, the timing could not have been better. It took them a few days to get over the jet lag, but we packed a lot of activities into the six days they were here. We had a week full of visiting fun touristy places that I've already visited, but also new places where I've been wanting to go. It was a fun week for all. Glad you guys got experience a bit of Paris with me!
One of the best parts of my week was their last night when we happened to stumble upon an American bar where they were playing, wait for it... SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL!! (or at least it was night time for me). It felt like we were back in America. I know my program director would NOT approve of this, but I need a little NFL in my life. I will definitely be back.
It's been awhile since I've written; I forgot there was so much I haven't written about!
Two weekends ago (Sept 27-28), my program took a class trip to Loire Valley. Over the course of the weekend, we visited three chateaus: Chateau de Chambord, Chateau d'Amboise, and Chateau de Chenonceau. Each one was more beautiful and magnificent than the next. They were each in a different town, and it was amazing looks at the French countryside while traveling by bus from place to place. The houses, gardens, and farm fields are so cute and quaint. The different towns were just as adorable and quaint, and very fun to explore. Not to mention we had beautiful weather the whole weekend.
We spent Saturday night in Tours, France, a small college town. It was such a nice change being able to explore at night and not have to worry about making the last metro ride home. I really enjoyed Tours, and I'm happy we spent the night there. Otherwise, I probably would have never thought to visit such a small town. I barely slept the week before, and, after a whole day of touring chateaus and exploring towns, my friends said they have never seen anyone fall asleep so fast in their life.
Sunday afternoon, after the last chateau visit, we got the amazing opportunity to have a fancy 4-course dinner in the restaurant located right next to Chateau de Chenonceau. The food was absolutely decadent, and we drank wine from the Loire Valley. A very cool experience that I won't soon forget.
It was a weekend full of pretending to be Disney princesses wandering around our castles, singing Disney songs, and just having an all around great time. The trip greatly exceeded all expectations.
It's been awhile since I've written; I forgot there was so much I haven't written about!
Two weekends ago (Sept 27-28), my program took a class trip to Loire Valley. Over the course of the weekend, we visited three chateaus: Chateau de Chambord, Chateau d'Amboise, and Chateau de Chenonceau. Each one was more beautiful and magnificent than the next. They were each in a different town, and it was amazing looks at the French countryside while traveling by bus from place to place. The houses, gardens, and farm fields are so cute and quaint. The different towns were just as adorable and quaint, and very fun to explore. Not to mention we had beautiful weather the whole weekend.
We spent Saturday night in Tours, France, a small college town. It was such a nice change being able to explore at night and not have to worry about making the last metro ride home. I really enjoyed Tours, and I'm happy we spent the night there. Otherwise, I probably would have never thought to visit such a small town. I barely slept the week before, and, after a whole day of touring chateaus and exploring towns, my friends said they have never seen anyone fall asleep so fast in their life.
Sunday afternoon, after the last chateau visit, we got the amazing opportunity to have a fancy 4-course dinner in the restaurant located right next to Chateau de Chenonceau. The food was absolutely decadent, and we drank wine from the Loire Valley. A very cool experience that I won't soon forget.
It was a weekend full of pretending to be Disney princesses wandering around our castles, singing Disney songs, and just having an all around great time. The trip greatly exceeded all expectations.
Though I love visiting new places and experiencing different parts of the country and Europe, I am always excited to come back to Paris. Paris is the best place I've ever been in my life, and that's saying something considering I've been to Jim Thorpe, PA (dumb joke). Coming into the trip, I had lots of grand plans about visiting all different countries and cities around Europe, but I have had a change of heart. I haven't been in Paris that many weekends, and I think I need to really make sure I spend enough time here to ensure I get the most out of this amazing city, rather than experiencing bits and pieces of a bunch of different ones. The final trips I will be taking are Marseilles, Barcelona , and Belgium, with potential for another French city thrown in there somewhere.
Speaking of how Paris is so amazing, Paris Fashion Week was just this past week, Sept 23-Oct 1. Most people know that I am a big social media/celeb watching/big name event enthusiast, so being in Paris for PFW was a dream for me. However, with the passing of my Nana landing on the same week, it had to take a back seat. The only thing I could do was try to focus my mental power on finishing a large paper I had due that week. Then, with the trip Loire Valley the following weekend and my mom and sister visiting, PFW was coming to a close and I hadn't seen any of it (besides the celebrity Instagrams of the shows and the places they were visiting, which drove me CRAZY!!!).
After picking my mom and sister up from the airport on Tuesday, I arrived early to grammar class that afternoon. When my friends Meghan and Ashley came in, they immediately told me about all the cool people and fashion they saw at the Chanel show that morning. Jealous is an understatement. I remembered that the Valentino show started in a half hour, and I knew I had to take action. It was about one minute before class was supposed to start, and our teacher was not in the room yet. I stood up and told Meghan and Ashley that I was going to the Valentino show and they had about 5 seconds to figure out if they were going with me. We all ran out of the room and down the hall, terrified that we were going to run into my very scary French teacher. Halfway down the hall, Ashley saw my teacher's feet walking down the staircase, and slammed Meghan and I against the wall behind an elevator. I think back on it and can't help but crack up at the thought of the three of us laying as flat and still as we could against the wall, holding our breath, praying our teacher didn't see us. Evidently she didn't, because after what seemed like 5 minutes, we heard our classroom door shut.
Ashley felt guilty and decided to go back to class, and, considering she saw the Chanel show that morning AND Kim and Kayne the week before, I didn't blame her. She had had her fill of fashion week experiences. Meghan and I spent the whole way walking to the metro second guessing ourselves and feeling guilty, wondering if we made a mistake.
I do not regret my decision to skip class AT ALL. I can honestly say that I will remember that day as one of the coolest of my semester. The way the outside of the show was set up was that the people invited to the event walked down a walkway to the bouncers, where they showed their invitation, were allowed through the gate, then walked into the venue. Then, all the normal folk such as myself were allowed to line up along the walk way to see the fabulous people walk down. Meghan and I were a little late, but we got there just as Paris and Nicky Hilton were walking in. We also got to see Rachel Zoe, Nina from Project Runway, Olivia Palmero, Ciara, Steve Harvey (what the heck was he doing there?), and a bunch of other fashionistas. I was in heaven!
After everyone was inside, Meghan and I decided to stick around to see them walk out. The show was only about 20 minutes long, and so we didn't have to wait long. One of my favorite parts was seeing the models pose for the paparazzi in full makeup after the show. They are so gorgeous up close. Then, at one point, we saw the bouncers open up a little part of the gate into the private courtyard area, and Meghan and I slid our way in to get a closer view of Paris and Nicole Hilton. A few others followed suit, and, when I turned around, I saw that the bouncers closed the gate back off. So, Meghan and I just casually found ourselves in the previously invitation-only section of the Valentino fashion show, only a few feet from the Hilton sisters. We didn't question it!
After all of the big-name celebrities had left, Meghan and I decided to stick around a little longer just in case the rumors of Kayne West's attendance were true. With a prime spot like ours, we weren't going to miss an opportunity to see someone really cool. After awhile, I got bored and told Meghan I was going to try to get into the doors of the actual venue, because, up until then, we were just outside in the little courtyard area. I started inside, and Meghan followed. Meghan must have only been about 3 paces behind me, but that's all it took. Right as I passed an open door in the hallway, a security guard came out, saw Meghan, and stopped her from going further inside. Meanwhile, I was home free! I walked down the hallway and into the room of the actual, real life Valentino fashion show! It was so cool. Not to mention the runway, seats, and lighting were all my favorite color, navy blue!! I managed to grab a few invitations and programs spewed across the ground as souvenirs. Framing those!
I had a bunch of close calls that day, what with dodging my teacher, getting into the private gated area, and then past the security guard and into the actual venue itself, and I can't help but think I had a little help from Nana that day.
After picking my mom and sister up from the airport on Tuesday, I arrived early to grammar class that afternoon. When my friends Meghan and Ashley came in, they immediately told me about all the cool people and fashion they saw at the Chanel show that morning. Jealous is an understatement. I remembered that the Valentino show started in a half hour, and I knew I had to take action. It was about one minute before class was supposed to start, and our teacher was not in the room yet. I stood up and told Meghan and Ashley that I was going to the Valentino show and they had about 5 seconds to figure out if they were going with me. We all ran out of the room and down the hall, terrified that we were going to run into my very scary French teacher. Halfway down the hall, Ashley saw my teacher's feet walking down the staircase, and slammed Meghan and I against the wall behind an elevator. I think back on it and can't help but crack up at the thought of the three of us laying as flat and still as we could against the wall, holding our breath, praying our teacher didn't see us. Evidently she didn't, because after what seemed like 5 minutes, we heard our classroom door shut.
Ashley felt guilty and decided to go back to class, and, considering she saw the Chanel show that morning AND Kim and Kayne the week before, I didn't blame her. She had had her fill of fashion week experiences. Meghan and I spent the whole way walking to the metro second guessing ourselves and feeling guilty, wondering if we made a mistake.
I do not regret my decision to skip class AT ALL. I can honestly say that I will remember that day as one of the coolest of my semester. The way the outside of the show was set up was that the people invited to the event walked down a walkway to the bouncers, where they showed their invitation, were allowed through the gate, then walked into the venue. Then, all the normal folk such as myself were allowed to line up along the walk way to see the fabulous people walk down. Meghan and I were a little late, but we got there just as Paris and Nicky Hilton were walking in. We also got to see Rachel Zoe, Nina from Project Runway, Olivia Palmero, Ciara, Steve Harvey (what the heck was he doing there?), and a bunch of other fashionistas. I was in heaven!
After everyone was inside, Meghan and I decided to stick around to see them walk out. The show was only about 20 minutes long, and so we didn't have to wait long. One of my favorite parts was seeing the models pose for the paparazzi in full makeup after the show. They are so gorgeous up close. Then, at one point, we saw the bouncers open up a little part of the gate into the private courtyard area, and Meghan and I slid our way in to get a closer view of Paris and Nicole Hilton. A few others followed suit, and, when I turned around, I saw that the bouncers closed the gate back off. So, Meghan and I just casually found ourselves in the previously invitation-only section of the Valentino fashion show, only a few feet from the Hilton sisters. We didn't question it!
After all of the big-name celebrities had left, Meghan and I decided to stick around a little longer just in case the rumors of Kayne West's attendance were true. With a prime spot like ours, we weren't going to miss an opportunity to see someone really cool. After awhile, I got bored and told Meghan I was going to try to get into the doors of the actual venue, because, up until then, we were just outside in the little courtyard area. I started inside, and Meghan followed. Meghan must have only been about 3 paces behind me, but that's all it took. Right as I passed an open door in the hallway, a security guard came out, saw Meghan, and stopped her from going further inside. Meanwhile, I was home free! I walked down the hallway and into the room of the actual, real life Valentino fashion show! It was so cool. Not to mention the runway, seats, and lighting were all my favorite color, navy blue!! I managed to grab a few invitations and programs spewed across the ground as souvenirs. Framing those!
I had a bunch of close calls that day, what with dodging my teacher, getting into the private gated area, and then past the security guard and into the actual venue itself, and I can't help but think I had a little help from Nana that day.
That's all for now! Hopefully Weebly won't delete my next post again and I can be a little more prompt with my postings.
Bisous,
Claire
PS. 8 weeks left...
Bisous,
Claire
PS. 8 weeks left...