Eli.BeE's blog

HelloGoodbye AppleThe most rewarding experience for me has been the friends I have made both American and French. Most of them I will probably never see them again, but there are some that I hope to maintain my friendship with. No matter the memories made here with them forevermore will be unforgettable ;) The biggest problems I had to face were definitely the currency exchange and the apartment situation. Changing currency was difficult because with the economy as we all know the euro is more expensive then the dollar and having money wired transferred from my American account to my French account took several days. Moneygram charged me with unnecessary charges, so I will NEVER do that again unless in an emergency. Even then I might not do that again. Instead I opted for an ATM withdrawal, but you are only allowed to withdraw 300 Euros a day. So plan ATM withdrawals days ahead if you have to pay rent or other bills. Go through the school for housing. Unfortunately since NYU in France does not have dorms. They provide you with a landlord. I went through an agency instead a choice I still regret but I canceled that lease and went through NYU after a month and the landlord treats me as though I were her own daughter. Take care of all necessary things BEFORE you leave the states. I had contacts and my glasses and I thought if I just ran out of contacts I would just use my glasses. Unfortunately they broke and I went around Paris for several weeks with broken glasses. I just got contacts last week. When I get home, I will practice my French more and learn Creole hopefully. Thank God I live in Louisiana!;) I will spend more time with my family and friends. I have missed them more than I ever have. I’ve lived away from them for more than 4 years, but it took coming here to be this homesick.

I really liked the course this semester. I was really excited for it after taking Abroad at Home. I was happy that there was less reading, it felt more like the course was student driven with Steve as our “tour/travel guide” ;). Blogging was fun; telling others of our experiences as well as learning from others at our travel sites and others to prepare us if we decide to take a trip. I really want to go London most all. Actually I do not feel that any improvements need to be made. I don’t know if we can I looked but I would have liked to be able to add videos from YouTube or my own videos to the blog, though. All in all, I had fun with course and suggest it to anyone who will be studying abroad in the future as well as Abroad at Home.

Latin QuarterTo go to Paris or not to go, that is that is the question. I am a little unsure in recommending this site to students. I mean I love Paris. The city is beautiful and so very rich on history and is history freak’s (like me) dream. BUT… (yes here comes the but) I felt the academic program here was very dull. I was a little unsure about my courses when I first chose them, but nonetheless excited. Now, I have to say that I did not like any of my courses. They don’t have a wide range and neither a very good selection. School is completely informal and I did not have that have that scholastic atmosphere to challenge me. There is usually that feeling of I’m going to get that A. Now it’s like I’m going to just do the best I can. Seriously, I only liked this course this semester because it called for me to take in my surroundings and enjoy the city and the people. It challenged me by allowing me to reflect on my experiences here and take my time in enjoying everything. I mean the school encouraged us to go out, but didn’t ( I feel) do a fantastic job in getting to the people, namely French students. But the nevertheless they were still a great help and always there when needed. I strongly recommend that you find housing through the school and not through ANY agency in NYC. I will not name names. Learn all that you can about the exchange rate with the euro and the dollar. Avoid using your card as much as possible, French or American. Do NOT have a negative balance, I repeat do NOT get a negative balance. They strongly dislike them here. Even if it is small, pay it!!! Don’t be lazy, go to museums have fun and enjoy the history. You are in Paris, enjoy it. Vive la France !!! Avoid McDonalds!!!

Sorry, Still a Tiger at heart...Despite his good intentions I believe that de Maistre was actually kind of an idiot. Traveling your room is interesting, I admit, but I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to leave the surroundings they have grown accustomed to and “experience” something new. I remember my first semester after college. My mom got really sick and could not work and we did not have a car. I stayed home that summer to take care of her and my brother who is mentally handicapped and I got to know the confines of my room and my house very well. I realized that I never really went out into m neighborhood. We had moved there a few years ago and sadly at the time the only black family in the neighborhood so I did not feel comfortable venturing out. But I decided to go for a run around the neighborhood for fresh air and I never had realized how nice it was to be outside to feel the sun on your skin. Since I had gone for a quick run, I decided to walk around the next day. That time I got to meet some of my other neighbors, and it was actually quite nice relaxing. When I had to go back inside, I dreaded it. I love my family but it was nice to have a few moments to myself during the day. So every day, I would go for a walk or run around the neighborhood. De Botton was smart in leaving the room and going around the neighborhood. I feel that the bedroom and yes even the house is too small to contain one soul let alone three. De Maistre was right in believing that everyone deserved to travel but room travel is well boring to me especially when you’ve lived in your surroundings for years on end and in my case literally being in house arrest. I feel that human beings have this innate need to learn and well sometimes you can’t do that in your part of the world. Well maybe you can but your surroundings limit you from reaching your full potential.

CatacombsSo I have chosen to write on the catacombs of Paris. My friends invited me to meet them one day at Denfert-Rochereau to go visit. When I think catacombs I think burial ground, you know, but I had no idea what I was going to see that day. The ossuary is literally underground because of city growth and the generations of dead proved too much for the city. Paris’ largest cemetery, Les Innocents, was so overrun with its inhabitants that its neighbors were affected “with disease due to contamination from the improper burials, open mass graves, and earth charged with decomposing matter organic matter.” We had to climb about seven flights of stairs to get to the bottom I believe. From the moment I took my first step I could literally smell death. It was freezing and terribly dark, but there were guards there to “light the way”. They first asked us to respect the lives of six million citizens who perished in the plagues and the numerous who are perished there between the 18 and 19 centuries. The bones were placed after a blessing was conducted by Catholic priests. I had not even walked in there and I saw the bones, I felt compelled to say a prayer. I have never in my life seen anything like that. The bones are stacked neatly and coordinated in such a manner it sadly almost looks like art. Frightening. Also there were also quotes describing the death of each set of bones. Many sections came from different cemeteries throughout Paris that had been overrun. Also there were quotes in Latin that made visitors reflect on their own lives. There were long paths throughout the catacombs to tunnels and chambers, it seemed as though the ceiling could collapse at any moment and supposedly it has several times and the remains of those who were trapped are also buried there. Also many who were involved with the Revolution and the French Resistance I believe.

Not my Friend, but still a pretty cool pic of a French girl rock bandNot my friend, but still a pretty cool pic of a French girl. My first week in Paris, I met a runner named Esther. A runner is just someone who helps you with your luggage off the bus and get acquainted with the city. Esther was very cool and very kind. Her and her friend Emilie took me and some other students for my first lunch in Paris. In fact, no I remember she was the person who turned me onto viennois au chocolat, my vice in Paris. The perfect combination of bread and chocolat, that sadly and miserably gave up for Lent. But I have only two days left, till I go and eat all that I want!!! (in case you didn’t notice there is a little maniacal laugh in there;) But yes, was very much Parisian in that she dressed completely in black. Her accent was a little stronger. She was born in Paris, but she had grown up in the South of France. She had attended Sciences Po and the Sorbonne and was currently working on her PhD. She had studied abroad at NYU for a semester and had been asked to be a runner this semester. She studies theatre. Like most Parisians, she is very politically aware. She despises Sarkozy and his conservativeness. It was from her I learned that he had tripled his salary in the past two months, just because he could. She was angry because she felt that salary had never been changed for any other French president and if they could not live on it properly why couldn’t he. As she believes and I agree, the money belongs to the people. To the teachers who are going on strike, the families living on the street because there are no jobs available to support them, etc. She is very much a traveller and never stays put.

Be young and shut up...1968 is known as the “Year that Changed Everything”. It was the year of the global civil rights movement and global protest. The Vietnam War broke out; Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy were slain; the Black Panthers protested at the Mexico City Olympics, where John Carlos and Tommie Smith raised there fists in protest; young Chicano and Black students at UC Santa Barbara and UCLA were fighting for a change in the nature of education; the Prague Spring reforms were established in Czechoslovakia; Finally, as always France had to have its say in the matter. According to my French professor, it all started when a group of boys wanted to be allowed access to the girls’ dormitories at night. During the time of the sexual revolution, birth control, and “free love”, it seemed easy enough, right??? Non…the boys bulldozed the night guard’s office and the next day the city erupted.

On May 2, 1968, the dean of the University of Paris at Nanterre closed the university. The next day students of the University of the Sorbonne in Paris met to discuss the shut down of the university and possible expulsions of several students. On May 6, over 20, 000 students marched to the courtyard of the Sorbonne with policemen lying in wait with their batons. Thousands were arrested and brutally beaten. Seeing the brutality of the police caused the general public to join in the cause. Students from not only high schools and universities formed unions, the UNEF being the largest in France even today. They demanded that the students be set free, police be removed from the campuses, and that both Nanterre and the Sorbonne be immediately reopened. For weeks the city was literally at a standstill. Barricades were made all over the city and police cars were set on fire. Labour unions also got involved and factory workers established sit-downs at their own factories known as usines occupées. African-Americans in Paris during this time, noting the similarities with the students struggle and the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S., assisted with the protests.

It got so that bad that even President Charles de Gaulle ran away. On the Wednesday he was supposed to meet with the National Assembly, he was no where to be found. Since the presidential helicopter was gone, the members telephoned Madame de Gaulle to see if he went home for lunch. He was not there;) It was later found out that de Gaulle was in Germany to ensure that the French army stationed there would be ready to infiltrate the city if things did not die down. He later performed a national broadcast on the radio to order workers to return to work. Eventually, order was restored but May 68 is definitely a month that will live in infamy. Today with the general greve (strike) of French teachers, 40 years later the people are still looking back to that May for inspiration.
Just follow...all u sheep

Bir HakeimThe second book on my list was Sarah’s key. The book tells the story of Julia Jarmond, an American, who has lived in Paris as a journalist for over 25 years. Her editor assigns her to cover the 60th anniversary of the Velodrome d’Hiver roundups. Vel d’Hiv was where, during World War II, French Jewish families were rounded up for transport to Auschwitz and an ever-present scar on French history. The story alternates between Julia’s story as well as that of Sarah, a young Jewish Parisian whose family was taken during the Vel d’Hiv roundups and how the two stories intertwine. Julia is trapped in an unhappy marriage with a cheating husband and terrible in-laws who look down upon Julia as the American. In time she learns that the apartment that her and her husbands plan to move into was formerly owned by a Jewish family…Sarah’s. Her husband’s family acquired the apartment after Sarah’s family was deported to Vel d’Hiv. She learns soon that Sarah is the only surviving member of her family. She had hidden her little brother locked in a cupboard hoping to return to set him free, but did not understand at 10 years of age where she is going and that she will not be able to return to him. Part of my studies at Gallatin is Jewish History and although studying abroad in France did not provide any courses in this area, I was rather is interested when I stopped at the metro stop of Bir Hakeim. There on the wall behind the quai (platform) is a plaque dedicated to the victims of Vel d’Hiv. It tells the details of the event in which French police rounded up over 12000 Jewish citizens and moved them to an indoor cycling track known as the Velodrome d’Hiver, only to be deported to Auschwitz later. For decades the police have declined to apologize for the event feeling that the French Republic is not the French state that deported its own citizens. Therefore, the Republic is not responsible for the past of the former French state. However, former French Jacques Chirac issued a public apology in 1995 stating that the French people must face up to its people and take responsibility for its parts in the war. Today, Vel d’Hiv no longer exists. A fire destroyed the majority of the building and it was later demolished. It was located near Bir Hakeim and the Eiffel Tower.

Chateau d'EcouenSo, as a group trip a lot of the students went to view the Chateau d’Ecouen, which is the French National Museum of the Renaissance. I sadly had to get up very early on a Friday morning to board what I believe was a two hour bus to the museum. It was free and they were feeding us which I felt would be well worth the trip, not to mention that my favourite are is Renaissance art. So once we arrive we walk up a very long road to what I believe to be a castle. In fact, it was created as a palace to welcome the King and his court by Anne de Montmorency, connetable of France in 1538. Once there we were given the option of choosing a French or English tour guide. I chose the French tour guide, of course. Amazingly, I did not regret it. The rooms were mainly filled with old artefacts such as armor, old-style guns, glass ware, and jewelry, but my favourite were the tapestries. One very long hallway and two extra rooms were dedicated to the story of David and Bathsheba. Now, in case you don’t know I suggest you dust off your Bible or Wiki what have you but a brief synopsis is David was a King of Judea, who already had two wives I believe. One night he saw this lady bathing on a roof and “fell in love”. Has dinner with her and other things. All the while knowing she is married. She later finds herself pregnant and as way to hide his sin, David sends her husband, who is the general of his army I think, to the forefront to die. It takes the Prophet Nathan telling him a parable for him to realize that God knows what he did. In the end, they lose the first child. But they get married and have another one, whom we all know to be the Wise King Solomon of Ecclesiastes who built the First Temple. Hey, I told you it was one of my favourite stories. Then we went to eat. A real fancy meal, if you know what I mean. A little too fancy for me. The main course, which was along the lines of roast beef and potatoes, was amazing and fortunately all I could stomach. What was supposed to be chocolate cake actually was chocolate mousse in the shape of a cake with caramel on the side. I need cake that is all I was saying. And of course, the wine, but it was noon so I mainly stuck to sparkling water;) All in all it was a very beautiful day. David et Bethsheba

Gullible FoolsIn his paper, MacCannell said tourists seek authentic experiences in the countries they travel to but I disagree. I feel that tourists seek an escape from the reality of their own country in order to experience another’s history, but with the “comforts” of their home. They may have this sense of authenticity, but I feel as Mac states that “tourist settings are arranged to produce the impression that a back region has entered even when this is not the case.” This makes me think back on what we learned in Abroad at Home that there is a difference between a tourist and a traveler. A tourist seeks experiences that have already been experienced. A traveler discovers and makes their own history. They travel outside of their own comfort zone to exist in another reality. I don’t think that most tourists try to enter back regions for that feeling of authenticity. They just stay in their hotels go on tours doing touristy things. Travelers go out on their own, taking the road less traveled. I myself feel I am more of a traveler than a tourist, although I have done the typical sightseeing. But I like find things on my own and actually meeting the people. I find that NYU shelters us a little bit by bringing Parisian students to us, but I always find a friend of a friend or someone to start talking to whether at a Monoprix, ou dans la rue, ou oui even un bar. I learn the most exciting things, an insider’s view on Paris on the best (and cheapest) places to eat, they tell us of what officials would not like for us “tourists” to see, and all the time I get to practice my speaking skills. This reminds me of a film we watched for class the other day A propos de Nice by Jean Vigo. It tells of his hometown of Nice and how it is very much a tourist spot especially during Carnival. He makes fun of tourist who do nothing all day but sleep drink and be stupid. As they remain ignorant of the plight of the citizens of Nice. Children experiencing leprosy, families are starving, and many are homeless. All the while tourists are lounging naked in their chairs getting drunk and dancing idiotically. May favorite part is where he compared this old lady to ostrich! Another situation I have heard of is in the Dominican Republic where the Haitians are working like slaves on sugar plantations, not far from where are lounging on the beach. I highly suggest A Propos de Nice and the Price of Sugar.What no one sees