From January to May 2010, I lived and studied in one of the most popular and loved cities in the world – Paris, France. I spoke the language (or rather, attempted), ate the food (unsparingly), visited the sites (on overload), and connected with the people (much to my surprise). I did any and every thing that was expected of one’s study abroad experience, and then some. I traveled to Greece, Ireland, Spain, Great Britain, and Morocco. In every city, I captured memories and sites with photographs, souvenirs, and left-over metro passes. I loved it. Not surprisingly, my empty bank account now stands as a symbol of that love.

My favorite things?

Cities

Santorini, Greece ∙ Madrid, Spain ∙ Marrakesh, Morocco ∙ Barcelona, Spain ∙ Ireland

Food

Crepes with Grand Marnier ∙ Spanish tapas ∙ Croissants ∙ Gaufres (in Barcelona) ∙ Curry chicken gyros ∙ Stuffed tomatoes ∙ Gelato

Experiences

Riding a camel in Morocco ∙ Lodging in Marrakesh’s Old Medina ∙ Riding a donkey in Greece ∙ Climbing the Eiffel Tower ∙ Sleeping on the French Riviera ∙ Playing in the black sand of Santorini ∙ Parisian nightlife ∙ Yves Saint Laurent exhibit in Paris ∙ Wine tastings ∙ Classes (Multiculturalism in France, Architectural History of Paris, French Civilization)

From my time in Europe, I did learn quite a few things about myself and about life. The most important aspect I took away from my experience, however, is the recognition of the importance of human relationships.  Being thousands of miles away from family and friends, any kind of support I could receive, whether physical or emotional, was extremely welcome. Also, I began to see just how meaningful gestures and body language are when I was no longer able to communicate my thoughts and wants via a common language. On my return to the States, I was so thrilled to order my bagel “lightly toasted with just a tad bit of cream cheese.”

Of course not all of my experiences were good. I experienced culture shock on more than one occasion and I ended up missing my family more than I expected. That was the extent of it, though. The program I studied with – American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) – did a great job of providing support for us in the city. The office was a regular meeting place, and many great excursions were coordinated by its staff. Whenever any of us fell ill, got stuck in Dublin , needed directions or just a sounding board, they proved more than capable. Also a plus, my host family was really nice and went to great lengths to make us feel comfortable in their home.

For anyone planning on studying abroad, I gladly give the following advice:

1. Make a budget and stick to it. (Time isn’t the only thing that flies when you’re having fun.)
2. See and do EVERYTHING without discrimination, even the “stupid” stuff. (You’ll get a lot out of it, I promise. The point is to try new things, right?)
3. Speak in the native language to native citizens. Often. (You can’t fully experience the culture without grasping the language. This will also open up doors to connect with citizens.)
4. Leave yourself open to interpretation. (You think you know yourself, but you have no idea who you are or what you can do until you are taken out of your natural element. Get out of the box a bit. Who knows? You might end up liking yourself even better than before.)
5. Take classes that have absolutely nothing to do with your major. (You have the rest of your life to learn everything you can about your profession. Live a little.)
6. Travel. (Getting to know the city you’re living in is great, but make the most out of your time and unique position by exploring other areas you might not have had access to until now.)
7. Be smarter than you think you are. (Stay aware of yourself and your surroundings. Safety precautions that pass in your hometown might just skim the surface of security abroad.)

Well, right after spring break, my family came!!! Woohoo!!!

on the Seine

I was so excited to see them! I loved playing the tour guide, taking them to different parts of the city. It was the most amazing thing to be in Paris with my mommy, who had come to the very same city nearly 27 years ago. In fact, she’s the inspiration for my desire to come to Paris in the first place. Before I even started elementary school, I remember talking to my mom about where she’d been in the world and she told me about her trip to Paris – PARIS! Of course I’d heard of the city before, but to know that my mom had been made it seem even more magical, and made me determined to visit the city myself one day. I’ve always admired my mother and try to follow her footsteps wherever I can

I love my Mommy!

It was also a HUGE plus to have Mr. Sims, Uncle Mike, and Aunt Hope here too! They were all newcomers to the city, and it was great to see everyone’s reactions to the architecture, the people, the language, and especially the food! One night in the Latin Quarter, we actually sat down at two different restaurants before settling at a pretty good place. As you can imagine, food in the states, especially in North Carolina, is totally different from what you will get in Paris. So it was great to see how their reactions compared to my own on first arriving in the country.

One of the days during their visit, we went to the Foire de Paris, which is basically a cultural exposition featuring the best items from France as well as all around the world. It was fantastic! Even ran into my hairdresser there, repping the Antilles!

inside one of the exhibition halls at the fair

Another cool thing we did was go to the fashion show at Galeries LaFayette.

All in all, I just really enjoyed spending time with my family – it was definitely needed after being away for so long!

Once my family left, I embarked on this amazing trip to Dublin, Ireland Would’ve been even more amazing if I hadn’t gotten stuck there 2 extra days to a volcano but…we shan’t mention that

Dublin

Once I returned, it was crunch time for a plethora of finals and papers due that week. And finally…I’M DONE!!!!! So stoked!

So what have I been doing with my free time? Relaxing in parks, eating all my favorite treats, trying out new restaurants, and seeing things that I’d missed the first time around. Actually went to this really cool fondue place tonight where you drink wine out of baby bottles!

at Le Refuge

As you know, I didn’t like my first fondue experience too much, but this one topped the cake. The place was awesome – I wish I’d gone sooner. Tomorrow I’ll be dining at La Duree, the best place for macaroons in the city of Paris, perhaps the country of France. Oh, and get this, we went to Versailles today, to finally see the chateau that we’d neglected for so long, and the castle was closed due to a strike! Imagine that! It would only happen to us…

Oh wait I forgot! Nichole came to visit!

me and Niki

She spent her last two days in France in Paris! We went out to Bastille, ate sushi at the Esplanade des Invalides, did a little shopping where I picked up this great vest, and took the hike up to Sacre Coeur. The best part of her weekend? The Yves Saint Laurent exhibit at the Petit Palais. I literally DIED the exhibit was just that good. For anyone who has yet to go, don’t walk through the exhibit without getting the headphones! Many shy away from that 5 euro purchase, but I must tell you that it’s worth every single bit of it. There’s so much about his life and his work that I didn’t know, and I was sincerely touched by how he viewed the world and was able to affect change through his designs. Truly a visionary and a revolutionary. Nichole said she cried

the iconic YSL pantsuit

So what haven’t I done while in Paris that I wish I had? I wish I’d gone to more fancy restaurants, but I wasn’t willing to shell out the cash for that so I can’t complain. I wish I’d gone to Disneyland, but I had some pretty amazing trips that totally made up for it. Um, my neighborhood is actually pretty bomb; I wish I’d explored more of it before this week. But to be honest, it was just too cold! I do wish I’d spent more time laying in the grass in the different Parisian parks. But once again, let’s blame the weather. Also, I didn’t visit all the museums that I could have, but I got so much else in otherwise. Frankly, of course there are other things I would have liked to do, but I’m pretty satisfied with how I spent my time in this glorious city. And let’s face it – If I’d done everything I wanted to do, what would I have to look forward to upon my return? I do plan on coming back – don’t know when, but I definitely hope to return to the city.

—–

Ok so I’ve just completed my last day, am packed and ready to go, literally waiting for the clock to turn to 6:45am so I can run downstairs to catch my shuttle. And I must say, today was a fantastic one! Started it off by going to La Duree for breakfast, where I ate this FABULOUS pain perdu (french toast, the french version). With that I tried their delicious tea – love love loved it! After breakfast, I couldn’t help myself and bought macaroons as souvenirs for some family and friends – after all, it is the most famous one in France!

After breakfast, I headed over to Montmarte to buy more souvenirs for everyone on my list. And I must say, I had a fabulous time! I hope everyone likes what I bought, because I literally went to every store/boutique leading up to Sacre Coeur. After that, I couldn’t help myself and decided I just HAD to climb the steps leading up to the basilica (probably not the best move lol but what is Paris without the climb?) and walking around to see Place du Tertre, which is famous for its square of artists and painters.

place du tertre

A beautiful sight! I swear I circled around them about three times, fighting the urge to get my portrait drawn.

From there, I moved my shopping spree over to Rue St. Honore (full of fab designers, by the way) where I purchased…dum dum dum….my first Longchamp bag! It’s my official souvenir from Paris, complete with an Eiffel Tour in front. I was so stoked!

So through all of this, I don’t think I mentioned that it was HOT outside. Not as hot as I’m sure North Carolina will be, but definitely reaching the point where it starts to get uncomfortable. So feeling icky I took a shower then headed over to the “hood” once more to buy extra luggage for cheap. Surprised? You shouldn’t be! I barely had enough space for my stuff when I came – so I definitely needed more going back! I just hope nothing is overweight; we shall see the outcome at the check-in counter. Well, funny story about the luggage is that the place I’d traveled 30 minutes to get to (because nothing INSIDE of Paris is cheap) was closed! So I walked around the sketch neighborhood for some minutes trying to find a place – ANY place – that would sell me some large luggage for under 20 euros. And I found it! 14.90 to be exact for a sizeable duffle bag. The only catch is that it doesn’t have wheels lol.

In addition to all of that, I went to Monoprix to buy some last items for my Uncle and went to the AIFS office for the very last time to drop off some treats. I’m actually having a little hard time believing it’s all over!

My day pretty much ended with my trip to Versailles, which is amazing by the way! The only thing I have to say is that the castle itself is really nothing to sneeze at. Chateau Fontainebleu is so much better and less crowded. But when it comes to the gardens and just the general grounds, I must say Versailles has it made. I loved going to Marie Antoinette’s estate!

part of Marie Antoinette's estate

These little thatched roof cottages dotting the landscape and her Temple of Love magically placed. If anyone is planning on going to Versailles, I actually recommend skipping the castle altogether and just spending the entire day exploring the grounds. Yes, it will take you an entire day!

Beat from my voyage, I returned to Paris to eat my last European Chinese meal (which is REAL food, unlike the mess they feed us in the US). I planned on saying my last goodbyes to everyone at Champ de Mars, but I completely crashed. My body had been going at a fast pace since 6:30am and it just couldn’t handle anymore :-/ But, I did wake up an hour later to pack Mommy would be proud.

We then said our goodbyes to our host parents and took pictures.

our host family

The task of taking the luggage downstairs followed, as did the trash, and now I am waiting for the shuttle. A great ending.

You know what I’m proud of though? The fact that I did what I set out to do. And I’m ecstatic that I maintained this blog for my entire time here. It’s something that you, my friends and family, and I myself can look back on to recount my experiences abroad. Never again will I have such an amazing opportunity and I’m so thankful to everyone who made it possible. Thank you, Paris, for giving me an amazing 4.5 months. I shall never forget thee.

me at Sacre Coeur

Breakfast does not have to consist of eggs, bacon, and grits with pancakes on the side. Tea, juice, fruit, and toast work just fine (and have less fat)

Open air is good for the soul. I love how there are these HUGE public parks in Paris, full of beautiful grass, waterfalls, flowers, play areas, and basically just beautiful places to spend an afternoon with friends. Makes life more enjoyable



Parc Monceau

America is actually pretty bomb. Don’t let anyone tell you any differently. From our music to our movies to our culture, everyone loves us no matter how hard they try not to. Revel in it.

Living by a body of water, no matter how large or small, will give you a sense of freedom and youthfulness that I now deem indispensable.



Seine River

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder – the key is to search for what suits your eye and never let it go.

Nothing beats fresh produce. Nothing.

Believe it or not, walking does make a difference. The French smoke, party all night, eat tons of carbs and sugar, and drink alcohol at nearly every meal, but they have a longer lifespan. Why, you ask? Because they walk every friggin where. I was disturbed by it at first, but I now find myself finding excuses to walk an extra mile or so. What better way to enjoy life than by observing it all around you?

There really is no need to yell out in public places. Keep your friends close by and there’ll never be a need to shout.

Love is a beautiful and powerful thing and should be flaunted. Granted, I got a little sick of all the PDA (public displays of affection), but after awhile I realized that the French know something we Americans obviously can’t get a grasp on – how to love.

When all else fails, blame the president – it’s in the job description.

The other reason the French live longer? 8 week vacations – they’re a must.

Sweets are good. REALLY good.



Amorino's - the best gelato

Travel! Whether it’s to a nearby city or a faraway country, open your eyes and hearts to something new. The Earth is full of so much that we’d be fools not to reach out and grasp every bit of it.

Okay, I’m going to let you know that I’m tired, but I felt it necessary to write about my day before I embarked on a new adventure. So, here I am! In Dublin! This riverside capital city is just beautiful, charming, and elegant in its own right.

Dublin!

We arrived early this morning and immediately immersed ourselves into the pulse of the city. Our hostel (Abigail’s) is in a great location – Temple Bar – full of bars, restaurants, entertainment, and a great majority of Dublin’s nightlife.

Temple Bar

Upon our arrival, we ate lunch at a traditional Irish pub and ordered traditional Irish food. My dish? Dublin Cobble: it’s this stew made of sausage, carrots, onions, and potatoes. DELICIOUS!

Dublin Cobble

Then, it was off to this free walking tour we heard about from a brochure. Result? Fantastic! The tour guide walked us through the city center dramatically telling us countless stories of Ireland’s rich past – its triumphs, its sorrows, and its unyielding hatred of the British. A little secret he told us – the whole “luck of the Irish” thing really isn’t luck at all! For some reason they usually come out on the bad end Well, anyways, went everywhere, from City Hall

Dublin City Hall

to Trinity College where the famous Book of Kells is held.

Trinity College

The 3.5 hour tour was well worth my time and I recommend it to everybody; just tip the tour guide at the end.

our tour guide

After that, it was time for rest and then dinner, where I had beef and vegetable stew (oh my goodness I’m just LOVING the hearty food here in Dublin! they just don’t make it like this in Paris -wink- ) and fish and chips while listening to live entertainment from the band downstairs. Today was a great day! I can’t wait to see more of this country tomorrow when we travel to the countryside for scenic adventures.

Day Two

I <3 Ireland! We took a trip out to Wicklow mountains and Glendalough today and it was absolutely GORGEOUS!

Irish Hills

On the hills of Ireland

We saw the locations from scenes in P.S. I Love You and Braveheart, tons of beautiful green grass, sheep, 6th century monasteries, and just got a big old dose of nature at its best.

Ruins of part of the monastery

At one of the lakes in Glendalough

I totally fell in love with this place. Our tour guide was awesome too. Came back and listened to music in Temple Bar – GRRRREEAT Irish band was playing in the street.

Great Band!

Can you believe I still haven’t had a Guiness??? lol I had to forfeit the trip for the day trip to the country and the walking tour yesterday. Maybe the drink’ll happen in the next 30 minutes or so…

Well, the volcano has struck again! My flight is cancelled right now, and Ryan air is a *****, so it’s an early trip to the airport in the morning to figure out what’s going on.

All in all it’s been a great trip – and I would LOVE to stay in Dublin, but on different terms. This is finals week for me, so I really need to get back.

Day Three

Officially S-T-U-C-K. We went to the airport this morning only to find out that the next available flight to FRANCE (not just Paris, but the country of France) is Wednesday morning. pooh. So, looking on the bright side, we hung out in Dublin some more today, buying books and taking leisurely strolls. Discovered some delicious bargain food and watched American television. In other good news, the hostel was available for the next two nights. AND I finally had my Guiness! I shared it with Diana and Ariana though – I’m not a beer drinker, just wanted to taste the famous brew in the country of  its origin. Tomorrow is a trip to the factory and whatever else I can find to amuse myself in the city.

Day Four

lol It’s crazy how I have spent two more days in this city than intended. Unfortunately, though a beautiful city, you can discover and do all in Dublin in 2 days – Days 3 &4 were wholly unnecessary. Anyhoo, today we took a long walk to the Guiness factory and just spent most of the day watching tv and movies and having great conversations about life and its craziness.

At the Guiness Factory

A great way to spend the day – and with great people! So, today is my last night in the hostel, and tomorrow our plane is SCHEDULED to leave at 6:25am. Still having some complications scheduling my makeup finals but, we shall see how it all goes! I loved this city, I loved the people, and I’m ready to get back to Paris to finish exams, spend time with Niki exploring the city, and do all the things I’ve put off in Paris until now. Hopefully the weather is warmer Au revoir Dublin!!!!

our ferry to Athens

Either way, I figure this is a brilliant time for me to either upload pictures and write my blog entry or do my homework – again, you guys know me so well!

Well, I must say that Greece was AMAZING! The country is very archaic though, as is the language. I mean, this was my first time in a country where I literally needed a translation just to understand the letters. Who speaks Greek anyways?!

We arrived in Athens around 6pm after our flight from Marrakesh. Speaking of the flight, I was so glad to be back on a major commercial airline! Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate the cheap services offered by EasyJet and RyanAir, but nothing beats a commercial airline that knows how to serve meals on long flights and offers complimentary drinks and sweets along the way. Actually, the meal wasn’t bad at all! It was some sort of beef with rice and a spaghetti sauce, salad, rolls, crackers & cheese, and a Greek pastry which was soaked in honey. Yum

meal on Aegean Airlines

Since we literally had only a few hours until our boat was scheduled to leave the Athens port, we hurried over to the metro (which took 30 minutes just to leave the airport – so not okay) and went to see the Acropolis – I couldn’t be in Athens and not get some history and culture in! It was great to see, but before we could even leave the sight nightfall came and it was time to hurry over to the port.

Acropolis

THAT was even an adventure – halfway into the metro ride over there, we’re informed that half of the line isn’t working and that we’ll have to take a bus for part of the way. Ugh! What’s worse is that the announcement wasn’t in English, it was all in Greek; we were solely relying on the goodwill of strangers to know what was going on. Then, when we ask which way to go, what do you suppose their answer was? “Just follow the crowd.” Lol I almost died laughing. I’m in a city for the first time of my life, it’s pitch black outside, I barely knew where I was going the first time around, and I’m just supposed to follow everybody? What if they were serial killers? Well, I had no choice so follow them we did and we arrived at the port safely.

Our ferry to Santorini

But wait, more complications. It took forever to find the ticket office for our ferry, and when we did we found out the boat was late – due to weather conditions! NOT what I want to hear before I embark on an 8-hour ride. But somehow we got through it – maybe it was the delicious vegetable patty and pizza I ate before embarking? Or the bottle of wine I consumed along the way? Anyhow, we made it to Santorini safe and sound – 4 hours late, but safe and sound.

our seating arrangement on the boat

And oh my gosh it was worth the travel! The views are AMAZING and it was great to get away from the hustle and bustle of Paris for awhile. It was also great to be in a place where I had to do absolutely NOTHING.

view of Santorini port Thira

On our first night, we just sat around, met up with some friends, had a drink or two, ate some delicious curry chicken, and went to sleep.

The next day, we went on a day-long tour of the area. First, we sailed to the volcano (hiked up that),

at the volcano!

then we sat at the hot springs for awhile (didn’t want to get my hair wet),

Santorini hot springs

then went to Thirassia (rode a donkey up the hillside),

me on the donkey in thirassia!

and ended at Oia (hiked up there, too) where we watched the sunset.

oia sunset

I also bought some cool presents. Oooh and went inside a Greek Orthodox church where I was CLEARLY against the dress code.

Greek Orthodox church

Oh well! It was an interesting day that involved a lot of hiking but also a lot of new experiences and beautiful sights.

So after all of that touring, we decided the best thing to do on Saturday would be to lay on the beach. And that’s all we did THE ENTIRE DAY. Felt so wonderful! All the restaurants have beach service, so you just go lie on one of the lounge chairs, and sit. Everything else comes to you. Cocktails helped, too

All in all, it was a great time and a relaxing one. The weather was great, not too cold or hot, and I found the people to be very friendly. Actually, I think Greece has the most friendly people I’ve encountered so far.  And I LOVED the food! Didn’t have a bad meal the whole time I was there. Of course I ate more margherita pizza (I’ve been deprived of real pizza in Paris),

Greek margherita pizza

had a souvlaki pita,

souvlaki pita

and ate stuffed tomatoes.

stuffed tomatoes

That’s all for Greece -  I hope to return!

Santorini at sunset

Oh – My – Goodness. I’m here. After literally 1 hour of sleep last night, we took a shuttle to the airport in Madrid and boarded our plane for Marrakesh. Unfortunately we had to check our bags because RyanAir is just so anal about the size! They actually made us test the baggage, and of course we failed. So there’s 35E right out the door…

at marrakesh airport

After an hour of much-needed sleep on the plane, I finally stepped foot onto African soil. Sure, my people definitely didn’t come from this part of Africa, but it’s the motherland all the same. The city of Marrakesh so far is all I expected it be.

driving from the airport

At the airport, a guy from our riad was supposed to pick us up but we never saw him, so we took a taxi for 20E from the airport. Only to find out that the taxi couldn’t actually take us all the way to the riad because our lodgings are so far into the old medina that cars are not allowed. So, he dropped us off in the care of an elderly man who carried our bag for approximately a 10 minute walk through alleyways amid the stares of local residents. I guess it didn’t help that I was showing skin…

But we did arrive! Safe and sound, we entered our riad to find a nice, young, English-speaking man greeting us. Practically forcing us to go to bed (it was 7am and I guess they’re strict about these things?), he showed us to our room – and oh my goodness it’s gorgeous! We have a private room with a beautiful bathroom. Only downside is that we’re sharing a bed, but come one – we have internet! And air conditioning! And it’s clean! So, down side is that the neighborhood is kind of sketch. Upside – this place is awesome! And to tell you the truth, I really wanted to see / stay in the “real”  Marrakesh to get more of an experience and taste for the city. Hence my choice of a riad, which is basically a traditional Moroccan house with a garden in the center and a patio on the roof that has been converted into a hotel for visitors like me I’m only here for one day and night, so I want to get the most out of it!

our room

courtyard of riad

riad hallway

the bathroom

I’m guessing in an hour or so we’ll get up and out and do some exploring, but I really am in need of a nap right now. I’ll update this post later on tonight with my goings-on, etc. So excited to be here!

7:09 pm

Crazy Beginnings…

Wow! What a day…I really don’t even know where to begin. But, as the sounds of prayer ring throughout the riad, I will tell you about my day. Needless to say, it had a dramatic start. After taking a small nap, we got directions and maps and were all prepared to attack the city like we’ve done everywhere else – look at the map, find where you’re going, visit, take pictures, move on to the next one. SO WRONG! Remember when I told you that our riad was nestled in the midst of alleyways? It was hard trying to find our way out, even with the maps we were given by the owner of the riad. Along the way, some older boys saw that we obviously didn’t belong (it’s hard not to stick out here) and tried to escort us to the taxi stand, where we’d planned on starting our day. We didn’t feel comfortable following them though, and tried desperately to lose them. Well we got lost, and lost them in the process, only to find our way to a larger street to where little boys wanted to serve as our personal escorts. Tried to lose them too, but that proved harder because they were actually going in the same direction. We found a woman alongside the street though and asked further directions from her. Listening to her, we walked toward to school only to find ourselves in more drama – the school had just let out for its afternoon break and rowdy boys and men were filling the streets. After walking around and evading for about 10 more minutes, we spotted a taxi and tried to get in. But remember those little boys I told you about? They didn’t want to let us in the taxi without us giving them money. We had no small bills (my smallest was 200), so I pushed past them to jump into the front seat of the taxi and Kenya followed suit. Once in the taxi though, they kept jutting their hands into the car and groped and slapped me :-/ And so began our adventure…

How to Get Around Marrakesh…

Once in the taxi, we told him 1) thank you, 2) please go to the Jardin Majorelle, and 3) can we hire you for the day? We weren’t successful in hiring HIM, but he did secure his friend for us. After an hour of poor French, substandard English, phone calls, words lost in translation, and driving around in 100-degree weather, we finally switched vehicles and met our new tour guide, Mohammad, who agreed to take us to every destination we wished for the rest of the day at a price of 300 dirhams – essentially 30 euros – not bad! And honestly, they were both lifesavers.

our chauffeur!

The Sites in a Day

First stop was La Menara, which had a beautiful pool of water and a great view of the main mosque.

me at jardin menara

Next, we went to Jardin Majorelle, which hosts plants from 5 continents and is alive with continued funding from Yves Saint Laurent, who happens to be Algerian. The gardens were beautiful, and we sat in the cafe for some samosas and fresh fruit juice, a very welcome and COOL relief from the heat of the day.

me at jardin majorelle

outside seating at the cafe

After THAT we ventured out to Palamarie where we…dumdumdum…rode camels!!! This was something I’d always wanted to do, but have shied away from since my childhood. Well, I did it! My camel was a spirited one too; it separated itself from the group at one time and sometimes refused to follow order but it still handled me with care. The camel ride definitely gave me a tan, but it was worth it!

on the camel!

Following the camel rides, our unofficial tour guide surprised us by taking us to the oldest tannery in Marrakesh. We learned all about the process of making leather and other materials from animal skin. For instance, did you know that they cure leather with pigeon poop? And the dyes used to make the leather come from regular spices like cinnamon and curry. Also at this tannery, the wool shaved from the animals is given to women for free to make linens and clothes.

great view of tannery

After that, we went to Bahia Palace, which was full of open courtyards, gardens, tiles, and a lot to leave up to the imagination about what went on there years before.

at bahia palace

From there, we saw Koutoubia, the largest mosque in Marrakesh. Couldn’t go inside though – against the rules.

koutoubia

Following the Koutoubia, we went to the Souks and didn’t buy anything but postcards Things just weren’t tempting enough for the prices…

the souks

The one place we didn’t really stop in was the Djemaa el Fna, the main market, usually the first stop on most tourists’ lists. However,we were tired, and mostly content with seeing it from the window.

djemaa el fna from afar

I must tell you that we were so glad to get back to our riad and take a shower! The temperature hovered above 100 degrees today and was a very dry heat, consistent with our location near the desert. Living in Paris had me almost forgetting what it felt like to sweat.

So to sum it up, Marrakesh is a very unique and beautiful city, and it was great for me to open my eyes to a completely different culture. As an American, I felt as though I was already exposed to a wide variety of cultures, but reading it and meeting random people are completely different from walking and living inside of the culture. It was my first time in Africa, and I hope to see more African countries that represent the diversity of the population – maybe starting with Ghana?

Advice for people visiting Marrakesh – come in groups, include men, and hire a cab for a day

Well, tonight I shall sleep VERY well, and tomorrow morning we’re off to Greece! Keep you updated…

our "room" on the train...very tiny

the view from the train was worth the ride

To begin with, this city reminds me of NYC but with a Spanish flavor. And, you know all that hype about Barcelona? Madrid is so much better! Don’t get me wrong, I loved the architecture etc around Barcelona and I especially loved its proximity to the beach. The city truly has a character all its own. But MADRID could get my heart.

on Gran Via

We are only here for a day, so once we stepped foot off the train we hit the streets running. We’ve been to nearly every major plaza and palace that the city has to offer.

crystal palace

Also, you know I had to taste one of the “culinary specialties” of the city – churros! Delicious. Had them with hot chocolate

about to eat churros & hot chocolate

Through it all though, the highlight of my day was going to Las Ventas, the most famous place for bull fighting! It was crazy though, because as soon as we stepped into the ring, we saw blood on the ground from the fight the night before – luckily it was the bull’s. Crazy to think how people actually do this for a living. But I’m so glad I took the tour – very unique!

inside the bull ring

with the flag!

Right now, we’re just taking a break before heading out to dinner. I loved the food in Barcelona, so I’m looking forward to more Spanish flavors.

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Ugh so dinner was kind of a bust! We sat at a place on Plaza Mayor which was beautiful but the service was TERRIBLE. So how did we compensate for it? After a glass of sangria we went to KFC up the street lol – Actually, don’t sleep on the KFC in Europe because the batter was AMAZING.

Now, trying to get in about 2 hours of sleep before the flight to Marrakesh in the morning…so psyched!!!

To sum it up, the city was surprisingly amazing! It’s definitely a port city with the same Mediterranean feel as Cannes, but with a more diverse population (and food choices to go along with it). It was very intriguing to learn the history of the city – it was actually built in 600 BC. Once a major port, it has definitely undergone some changes, but it still maintains its charm.

I arrived early Friday afternoon and we spent the afternoon and night walking around practically the entire city. We saw the “old city”, the port, Canebiere which is like the main street, and just wandered along to wherever the wind blew us. We had some very interesting experiences (like being chased through the city by unwelcome suitors) but all in all the city is wonderful and gorgeous.

buying soaps in marseille

Friday night was AWESOME because I finally went to an all hip hop club – my first since being in Europe. I LOVED IT! big ups to the dj

going out in marseille

Saturday was spent mainly visiting Chateau d’If which is the location of the legendary novel by Alexandre Dumas entitled the Count of Monte Cristo. Did you know that he was the son of a slave in santo domingo and a french army general? cool, huh? And he “just happens” to have the first international best seller and one of the greatest literary novels of all time. No biggie

chateau d'if with ocean

alexandre dumas

So, after all that I missed my train But I still made it back in time to catch my 13 hour train ride to Madrid…

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Since I’m running out of space on my blog, you can view more pictures through my Facebook album by simply clicking on this link http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=164737&id=650186685&l=2c4425ab92

So, we bought a train ticket to Madrid for the following Sunday. Completely bypassing Italy and a week of our spring break, we’ll go to Madrid, Marrakech, Athens, and Santorini. And on Friday I’ll be joining Nichole for a taste of Marseille. Still a lovely spring break though not what I was expecting.

Actually, this time off gave me a chance to just sit and enjoy Paris! I’m realizing that once I get back, I have only 3.75 weeks left, 2 weeks of classes, and 2 weekends in this beautiful city! I really want to make the most of it. The weather is finally warming up, and I must say that this place is breathtaking. I mean, the sun stays out ALL day, just beaming from the sky. I kinda wish the tourists would go home though so I could have it all to myself.

Well, what do you do when stuck in Paris? You hang out on the Seine, shop, peruse through the Louvre, and play in gardens. Oh, and you visit castles. Here’s my week through pictures

seine at night

flaming cocktails!

obelisk from egypt

me and the fountain

me and the tricolor tree in tuileries

meroe exhibit

still in the louvre

pont alexandre iii and grand palais in background

on the RER to go see a castle

but, the bus wasn't running so we sat a brasserie instead

looked for French Vogue but all they had were these

what kept me occupied on the ride back

i ate sushi today for the first time! it was yum

haha oh and funny random – So I’m in H&M and I ask where the bathroom is. One of the employees says there isn’t one in the store, but then tells me that “MacDo” has one. I had absolutely no clue what she was talking about. It didn’t help that she was speaking to me in French; it also didn’t help that her French was tinged with a sub-saharan African accent. I asked her to repeat herself about 5 times, and the 5th time she got the point and said her piece SLOWLY – “MAC-DOUGH”. I paused. Thought for a second…..OH MCDONALD’S!!! Nervous laughter was exchanged and I bolted out of there to stand in line for a few minutes for a surprisingly clean McDonald’s bathroom.

In fact, everything about McDonald’s here surprises me because it’s so contradictory to what we have in the states. The food is more expensive but looks better; the cafe is on point; there’s free wifi; the seats are leather; some have ordering kiosks; and the bathrooms are clean. I haven’t eaten anything from the regular menu but a plain hamburger in dire situations, but “me likey!” It’s amazing to see how a company can mold its brand to fit different places.

But then it has me thinking about the world’s perception of America. For instance, an “american” sandwich is one loaded with multiple types of meat, salad, and piled so high that you can barely wrap your mouth around it. When people imitate the “american” accent, they draw their words out and try to imitate a southern twang. American McDonald’s look like crap. So how does the company perceive us? As country bumpkins who eat too much food? Food for thought – literally.

Unfortunately, many of our classmates had to cancel or change plans due to a volcanic eruption in Iceland. ICELAND. Who ever thinks of that country anyways? And what are the chances that the ash clouds would be so extreme that they would cover a huge chunk of Europe and shut down airports from London Heathrow to Paris Charles de Gaulle?!

Our flight is not scheduled to leave until Tuesday evening, but let’s pray that this bizarre occurrence clears up in time for us to depart.

Speaking of Spring Break…

I’m so excited! Only thing is I have to figure out how to get 2 weeks of clothes into one carry-on suitcase…tough.

This week was a pretty chill one, but full of beautiful weather. I did quite a bit of shopping in preparation for my trip, and took a really cool walking tour of Paris through my French Civilisation course. Here’s a pic of us with our teacher!

Also this week, I’ve discovered that Paris is getting smaller and smaller. Like, how crazy is it that I can walk from the Louvre to my apartment? And along the way pass the Champs-Elysees and the Grand and Petit Palais? Or that I can see the Eiffel Tower from my window? Or access most museums within 30 minutes? I love it here, and I’m getting a little sad that it’ll be coming to an end in May, especially since the sun is out all day now!

And the sun is seriously diverting me from my school work. I have this 8-10 page paper due in my history of architecture class the Wednesday after I get back from spring break. It’s on my favorite bridge in the city – Pont Alexandre III. Have I started? Well, I have a general outline, void of any useful information I also have a presentation to give on the life of Charles de Gaulle that Thursday – have I started on that one either? Nope. We’ll see how this weekend goes.

Pont Alexandre III

Well, 4 days til Venice, and a few weeks until I see my Mommy!!!!