How to survive in Paris

Here are some things I learned during my time in Paris:

1. Avoid the 1 train. This is the most packed train you will ever be on. One time I had one foot in the train and the other on the platform. I’m still trying to figure out how I got that foot on the train before it being cut off. There was literally no room to move. There’s a picture on Facebook to prove this.

2. You can easily identify your subway stop by the smell of the station. I kid you not. I don’t remember the name of our station for the hotel, but I knew I was at the right one by the smell.

3. No one wears sneakers. Unless its Converse, no Parisian wears sneakers. It’s either flats, but usually heals, and dress shoes. I’m pretty sure Amadi was embarrassed to walk in public with me because I wore my sneakers.

4. You can easily find a tourist if he complains about how his feet hurt. Paris, I literally walked a thousand miles to see you! Cobblestone is not feet friendly. I was about to cut my feet off and donate it. But hey, I figured out how to stop obesity in America. Add a million stairs, get rid of cars, and make people walk. That’s what Europeans did and I swear I think I was the biggest person on the street.

5. The French like to put random phrases in their conversations that don’t make sense when translated in English. I would tell you some but I don’t know how to spell them.

6. The crepes are baller.

7. 70% of women and 50% of men own Longchump. It's just the accessory to have in Paris or even Wheaton campus. But I’m pretty sure God intervened so I wouldn’t get one.

8. If you want the best deal for dinner, go with a group of more than 15 people and watch how waiters will hackle with you to get your business. One of our offers was free drinks and a meal consisting of an appetizer, entree and desert for 11 euro.

9. Fairies took care of me while I was at the hotel. My room was not only cleaned, but my pjs that I threw on my bed every morning was folded for me at night. This happened every day except my last day there. I think they discovered my hidden stash of Nutella I may have stolen from the kitchen.

10. Uniform: black and grey with the occasional accent colors. Other than a an accessory, no one wears colors.

11. If you have an opportunity to sit, TAKE IT! You walk for so long, you really don't know the next time you will ever sit down.

12. The bathrooms, not so great. Unfortunately, Paris did not invest in the self cleaning toilets Switzerland has. You're best bet is take your mom's advice and go before you leave the hotel.

13. If you are having a conversation on the train and you notice the person across from you smiling to themselves, it means they understand English. You may want to save your conversation of NY is the city of insomniacs for when you get home.

14. Europeans love spiral staircases.

15. Its safe to assume that everyone smokes in Paris. If you don't, people will know you are a foreigner.

If you can remember all this then you can fool anyone that you are Parisan.

The Empire State Building is not in Paris

I spent last week in the city of lights, love and over-charged fashion. That’s right, I was in Paris. Though it is a two and half hour train ride away from good old Geneva, it is extremely different! But boy it’s pretty! Here is the laundry list of what I accomplished my action packed week!

Lundi: Arrived at the hotel and went for a walk the famous Champs-Elysees. I’ve never seen so many stores I couldn’t afford. Unfortunately, my college student budget won’t cover the price of a t-shirt there. Anywho, a few of us made it to the Arc de Triomphe; yet only 5 climbed 235 steps to get to the top (we call ourselves the Arc crew). I have to say for 5 euro, the view was incredible! Paris looks different when you’re up high.

Mardi: Lectures in the morning and afternoon. We had the best falafels in the world, but I can’t remember the name of the store. It has a green sign; so if you're in Paris and craving fafafels, hold out until you see the green sign. Then the Arc crew made its way to the Notre Dame and then Parisian sidewalk café. Later that night, I saw Basilique du Sacre-Cour. Whoever made this churches should pat themselves on the back... and treat themselves to a chocolate crepe.

Mercredi: Class during the day, PARTY AT NIGHT!! Just kidding, we went to the famous Lourve that runs for miles. If you’re ever in Paris, GO! It has some of the greatest work of art, and its just sooo pretty! Also, it known for the Mona Lisa, which is small, but not as small as everyone made it out to be. Also, there wasn’t a huge line to see it, I was able to get to the front, take a picture, and stare at it pretty easily. Just saying. Then, the search for food. Since the Eiffel Tour (though I couldn’t stop calling it the Empire State Building) was extremely close, we figured to get food there. Well, there was a storm, and I notice our group got smaller and smaller until we reached our destination, got food (yes, I got a cheeseburger), and took thousands of pictures of the Eiffel Tour.

Jeudi: I got to continue to feed the artist hidden in me and went to the Musee D’Orsay. It’s amazing what these artists can do, and I have to say, I don’t have the skill to make it into one of the museums unless one of artistic friends decides to make of Mona Lisa 2.0 of me. *Hint Hint* (you know who you are!). Anywho, we then went to the Shakespeare and Company bookstore that not only has many books but couches, sofas, beds, and piano for its customers to enjoy. If I lived in Paris, I would different read there. I’m sure if Shakespeare was still alive, he would be hidden away in one of those nooks, or reading Twilight.

Vendredi: In the morning, a few of us went to the Catcombs. When a plague broke out and killed nearly everyone in Paris, there was a shortage of cemetery space. The city converted the shut-down mine to house these bodies, and the priest arranged the bones in different patterns. I kid you not there were a group of skulls shaped as a heart. I’m not quite sure I felt about being surrounded my 6 million dead Parisians. On a lighter note, I GOT TO SEE AMADI!! This is my beloved roommate from sophomore year, who isn’t so beloved because we do everything to make the other miserable. Her super nice host mom let me stay for the rest of the week at her apartment. We then headed off with Sam to have the best hot chocolate in Paris, Angelina’s (I didn’t take offense to this claim because she hasn’t made it to Switzerland yet). And it was pretty amazing, but expensive. We then got ready for a dinner party with her amazing friends from her program! It was that night when I regret not packing my dress. But the night was filled with good food, company and storytelling.

Samedi: We went to Pere Lachise, a famous cemetery in Paris that anyone who was anyone gets buried there. We weren’t so successful in finding famous people until we started following this private tour group. Though I didn’t have a clue what the guy was saying, Amadi and her friend seemed to, and we got to see a few famous people. You would think this was a brilliant idea, but the tour guy notice us and told us “this tour is not for you”. We should of acted like dumb Americans and kept following him.

Dimanche: I went to Amadi’s home away from home, “Breakfast at America”. She goes literally every week. She’s their best customer. But the food was incredible. It turns out I do miss American food and I’m starting to plan the meals I want the week I return in May. (You have been warned Mom!) Yet, it was time to say goodbye to Amadi… and Sam! I may or may not miss her already…

And that was my week in the Paris.