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 :)