The final countdown

One week.

Une semaine.

Seven days.

Sept jours.

That's all I have left here in France. Don't even get me started on how many days I have in Angers (that's only 3!!). I can't believe that is all that I have left and that I will be on my United Airlines flight how back to the states. Can someone please pinch me to make sure it is real?!?

OUCH!

Yeah....it's real.

In fact, all of this seems surreal. It is as if I have taken some sort of pause in time to go study abroad and now it is time to fast forward and press play again. I still vividly remember me sitting at my kitchen table the day before I was supposed to leave talking with my mom and freaking out that my adventure in France was about to begin. And now, my adventure in France is about to be over. It is definitely the most bittersweet feeling for sure. Like, I want to leave. I want to: see my friends, suntan in my backyard, drive again, sing at the top of my lungs, listen to country music in my room and not feel awkward about it, eat true Mexican food again, wear my sorority letters, and then wait for June 28th to be reunited with Theo again. But then again, I don't want to leave after my last final on Saturday. I don't want to: leave my friends out here, lose the independence of walking into a bar and buying my OWN drink, my house family, the food (pain au chocolat or baguettes will never taste the same), leave my bike that I have grown so attached to and just the atmosphere of France itself. I really just have such mixed emotions right now.

My life has become so natural out here. Also, I know that all of my experiences/adventures has allowed me to change a lot as a person. I am no longer the same girl that I was in January before all of this began. That is one thing that I can't stress enough. I am not the same.

France will always be a part of me. I am grateful for that. It is also why I am preparing myself for reverse culture shock when I get home (because believe me it is coming if I am already getting annoyed by American tourists. Yikes!). Yet right now, I just need to enjoy my final days here and pack all of this stuff that I have accumulated out here. Seriously, how did I acquire so many shoes?!?!?

L'Histoire et l'Art de France

So sorry for sucking at keeping up in my posting. The month of May has really just flown right by with all the final projects and tests and random days off.

That means I am gonna try and catch ya up on what I have done with a few photo based posts.

And. Here. We. Go!

The first weekend of May, 50 students from the History of Art and History of France classes took a day trip to Paris to visit Musée d'Orsay and Père Lachaise (the famous cemetery where the likes of Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde are buried. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see either). Even through the random rain towards the end, it was an awesome day spent with my friend Emily (and everyone else of course) learning about some art and history of France.

The day was split up into two groups of 25 kids each with one group going with the History of Art teacher to the museum and the other group going with the History of France teacher. I was in that did the museum in the morning and the cemetery in the afternoon (interrupted by the best lunch every at Orsay's restaurant. Yum!).

We got a guided tour by our teacher before having three hours to explore on our own. Here are some highlights of what happened:

*Sidenote: We did look at some sculptures, but for me those pictures aren't as interesting*

 Musée d'Orsay: An old train station that was transformed into a museum.

 MASSIVE clock that I loved.

 "L'enterrement à Ornas" by Gustave Courbet

This picture doesn't do the size of the painting justice. 

 "Le balcon" by Edouard Manet

 "Le déjeuner sur l'herbe" by Edouard Manet

 "L'orchestre de l'opéra" by Degas

 "La classe de danse" by Degas

I wish I got a better picture of this.

 "Le moulin de la galette" by Renoir

 "La femme au boa noir" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

"Jane Avril dansant" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

"La danseuse au Moulin Rouge" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

"La danse mauresque" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Probably my favorite painting!!!

"Le cirque" by George Seurat

And then at 3:30pm, it became time to switch groups. A view metro stops and changes and we arrive at Père Lachaise.

 The arrival.

 There are just rows and rows of graves.

 The chapel and the crematorium are in the same direction. Am I the only one who finds this weird?!?

 Our group getting caught in the drizzle.

 The monument for all those who have died.

 The chapel.

 Molière's grave.

 La Fontaine's grave.

It is because of Molière and La Fontaine that this cemetery has become so sought after because since they decided that the wanted to be buried here, so does everyone else.

 The grave of Victor Noir.

Yeah...this man has an interesting story: He decided that before he died that his grave stone would have a sculpture of him on it laying down. He also decided that he wanted there to be the clear distinction of him having an erection. Legend has it that if a women is having trouble becoming pregnant, she needs to come to his grave at night and hump against his erection...yeah...

 A view of him (those roses weren't there when the morning group visited).

 The crematorium.

 It is believed that if you touch his nose, you are able to speak to the dead.

 DELACROIX!

Emily and I right before the downpour and waiting for the bus that was 45 minutes late.

Voilà! C'est tout! My day in Paris. Best 65 euros spent for sure :)

The First to Leave...

So it is official. The first American has left back for the States this week on Monday. Sad day for us all. But a wonderful and crazy filled weekend celebrating/mourning his last few days in France.

Dear Chris,
If you read this, come back!!! Minnesota doesn't need you because Angers isn't the same without you. We all miss youuuu!

Chris leaving just makes me realize that all of us will be parting soon. One by one we will be leaving by planes, trains or automobiles to our respective countries (or home states). Some of the people I have met out here will soon be thousands of miles away from me while others will just be a couple hundred. It is sad to realize that in about a month, the friendships we have made out here will become scattered (not ended because I plan to stay in contact with those who have made a impact on my life out here). Yet, I know that I have created some of the best memories out here and I wouldn't trade any even them, stupid or not, for the world! And for that I am grateful.

Dear Friends, Mes Amis, 

I love you all! That is all :)

"I'm a tourist!"- Spring Break 2012

Hello everybody!!

Sorry that it has taken me so long to post about my two week adventures of Spring Break. To be honest, I have just been a bit lazy and had a test this week that I was studying for so this post just kind of fell to the wayside.

But don't worry! It's Spring Break post time!!!!!!

So, my Spring break was from April 6th-22nd. Lots of things planned. A few mishaps but overall just an awesome time.

My break started with missing our flight on Friday night to Barcelona. Not a happy feeling. I had to pay an extra 60 euros to switch my ticket to the next day and Lukas and I (my travel buddy) decided to take separate flights the next day. This was because we were supposed to meet my sorority sister Alejandra (Ale) and I felt bad for making her wait for us. So I was to leave around 11am and Lukas wasn't gonna leave until after 4pm and we would just meet up later.

We probably sat in the airport terminal trying to figure out where we gonna spend the night. Calling or texting anybody we knew who could help us or let us crash for the night. Unsuccessful, we ended up finding a cheap hotel where we only had to pay a little over 25 euros each. A quick stop at McDonald's and then a trek to the hotel and we crashed. I woke up early the next day and off to Barcelona I went!

 Barrrrrrrceeelllooooonnnaaaa!

 Las Ramblas: This big street that has so much activity with things from street vendors to living statues like this one keeping things interesting.

 I am so amazed with the architecture of all of Europe.

First stop for Ale and I: Park Güell. The most wonderful park that Gaudí has ever created in my opinion. This picture doesn't show the entrance, but the buildings look kind of like gingerbread houses that I really just wanted to eat them.

 Rocking out in the park!

 Why hello there! What a gorgeous view :)

 Next stop: Sagrada Familia. This is a church that Guadí began building in the 1880s and it isn't expected to be finished until about 2030. There is no good way to describe the experience. It is just massive with so much detail from the 1000 person choir loft to the stained glass windows to the outside of one wall looking like tree roots. I will probably never experience something as grand like this in my life ever again.

 The Lord's Prayer in different languages from around the world.

 Just look at the detail people!!!!

 Me outside. You can kind of get the sense of just how massive it really is.

 MY FIRST STARBUCKS SINCE JANUARY. Yes, I had to document this moment.

 Day Two was spent at the beach, looking at stores, roaming Las Ramblas and eating delicious gelato. 

Barcelona was absolutely amazing. So much to do that I wish we could've stayed there much longer. And it was sooooooo nice seeing a face from home. Spending time with Ale was perfect for sure. But we had to catch our plane to Cologne (Köln), Germany. 

We didn't get into Germany until after 11pm and then we had to get ourselves from the airport to Lukas' friend Mirko's apartment. An adventure in itself that is for sure. But once there (after 1am!!) and finding out we will be living with no wifi (sad day), we passed out! 

Here is a small photo recap of our week in Cologne. There is a lot you can do in a week and I think this is a good highlight of it all.

 There is a chocolate museum. We didn't go in unfortunately but I want this big bunny!

 I found Noah's Ark!

 Some of the streets of Cologne.

 Meet the Dom. This cathedral is HUGE. Like you can see a tip of it at any point you are in the city. Out of all the cathedral I have seen here in Europe, the Dom is just crazy because it is this huge structure in a somewhat small place. 

But a random thing about the Dom, it is next to a Starbucks. So with free wifi there, you best believe we were here a few times. Haha.

 So. Much. Detail.

 This stained glass window is actually pretty famous for not being the typical stained glass that ones sees.

 Finding things like graffiti or stickers were a common occurrence. It was quite fun to see what craziness and uniqueness we could find each day. 

 The gray monstrosity we lived in for a week.

 Yummmmmmmm. Mirko's masterpiece that we had one day for dinner: mustard chicken with cheese, tomatoes, coconut rice and a salad with craisins and nuts with vinaigrette. Eat with wine and voilà!

 It is a mini library in a box in a park! So cool!

A side note about my time in Cologne, I got sick. Coughing and stuffed up nose equals for an unpleasant few days for Anastasia. But even being sick, I enjoyed my time. 

 And ahh the Berlin airport. Word of advice: never, EVER schedule an 8 hour layover in Berlin. Especially if it is from like 10pm-6am the next day. Hated life for those few hours.

And time to go home!!!! I literally danced in the Paris-Orly airport when we landed. I was so happy to be back in place where I could read the signs and understand what people were saying.

I was back in Angers the Tuesday of the second week. So here is how my week went after I was home:

Tuesday- Get coffee and madelines in Montparnase train station. Train home. Get sandwich and credit for my phone. Get home just before it starts to pour. Find letters from Theo. Read those letters. Catch up on life. Shower. Sleep and throw my sleeping schedule in for a loop. Get to see Theo's face and talk to him!

Wednesday- Practically be a hermit in my room.

Thursday- All my friends come home :) Meet Samantha's boyfriend Austin. Go with them to Emily's parents hotel room for cocktails before dinner. Eat dinner. Take her parents to our frequent bar K'lypso. See everyone. Drink. And end the night burning the palm on my right hand when the flaming cointreau shot suctions to my hand in the wrong spot.

Friday- Sleep. Watch is pour. Run to the store nearby for groceries when it seems like it won't rain for a bit. Read...a lot. Deal with my blister that is beginning to form.

Saturday- Go on a day trip to Tours, France with Ashley. I have pictures, but I haven't uploaded them to my computer yet. They are pretty much of the town, the yummy food we ate, the chateau, the cathedral and this really cool bridge. I might post the pictures here if I get the chance. Yet, I might not...

Sunday- The typical try and do homework day.

And that ends my Spring Break and me being a tourist. Only four more weeks of class! And then finals. And my mommy and little brother are coming out here on May 24th!!! I can't wait to have a taste of home here in France with me. 

And then before I know it I will be heading home! Yikes! Where has the time gone?!? Well, I guess I need to make this last month one to remember :)