. americans

This past weekend was very nice! I got to see people from BSIB- reunion!

• Thursday - Fizz came in from Dublin! We did a minimal tour of Paris since he was exhausted & we went to Montmartre to get some food. We were in Pigalle- the red light district and Fizz almost got MUGGED!! The funny thing is, on the Metro just 20 minutes before I warned him about thieves so he buttoned his back pocket shut holding his wallet. While we were walking down the street a man cut around me and dropped a piece of paper right in front of me. While it was happening I had a feeling it was a scam so I turned behind the man towards the car and kept my bag close, but Fizz was the target! This man made Fizz stop short and the partner behind us "bumped" into Fizz and tried to get his wallet. LUCKILY, his pocket was closed shut! Whew!
• Friday - While I had class, MJ came in from a co-op interview in Hamburg! We went to the Arc de Triomphe & went through the Louvre while we waited for Martina
• We were tired from walking around all day so we started drinking haha- Fizz got drunk realllyyy fast
• When Martina finally arrived by car with other ESB-ers, the four of us went out to an awesome raclette dinner at a restaurant called Le Serpent Qui Danse @ metro: Faidherbe Chaligny

A raclette cheese wheel that melts into gooey deliciousness that you scrape onto potatoes, vegetables, baguette, & cuts of meat if you choose

• Saturday - We did a tour of Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, took Fizz to the bus station, went up the Arc de Triomphe (paying to walk up steps- BOO!), then we had dinner in what I thought was the Latin Quarter (famous for raclette & fondue) but nooo Bastille was just a bar area. We went to 2 bars, played Never Have I Ever, Would You Rather, and Who Would You Do- met a really nice bartender, then we went to the correct Latin Quarter area. The drink that I got was so terrible & strong that I couldn't even finish it =*(
• Sunday - Martina wanted to go see the Louvre & MJ wanted to see Invalides (which I haven't seen) so we split up. Invalides is a museum that was originally a hospital for injured soldiers. There was lots to see so we spent most of our time going through the World Wars museum- it was SO interesting. I was so fascinated by it all, because I don't understand the point of war at all. It's terrible & sick & seeing this bloody history just made me feel really glad that I was born in this period. We also got to see only a little bit of the Charles de Gaulle section, but I definitely want to go back!

On a different note -

Since I've been here, I honestly can't stand Americans! I don't know why, but when I hear that loud, obnoxious accent in the streets I get really repulsed. I'm not quite sure why, maybe it's because I feel embarassed by association. There are a lot of young students studying abroad or they just came here for college, but they're definitely making a bad name for Americans in general.

That's also why I feel like I can't stand the people at my school. Some people are nice, don't get me wrong, but there's also a lot of the frat crowd who butcher French or only speak English really really loudly.

Anyway, I love Paris, but I'm excited to go home to see my family & high school friends. And I'm excited for NEU friends to visit me in December. It's going to be cramped, but I think it will be worth it.

Sighh, back to homework. Finals are coming up soon! =****(

. American edition

WOW- first of all-- WOW! I'm so happy Obama won... listening to his victory speech was amazing. I teared up at how honest he was- even though he's optimistic he knows the government can't solve everything in just 4 years. You can just tell he's going to try his hardest and overcome the divided two-party bullshit. It's so immature, because we as a people are all suffering under the economy & the moral strains of war.

People can disagree all they want, but the public has spoken, and you just know a good change is going to come! And people in France are really really happy for the Americans- hopefully we can mend bridges w/ the international community!

Gina Ahn - proud to be an American... finally! and outside of IBWE nonetheless

Anyway, it's finally vacation-time at AUP. Sunny will be coming to visit for the first part of the weekend, I'll be going to a Vampire weekend concert, and then I'll be off for Amsterdam with Jen!

I'm also a little homesick so I'll be visited by these lovely people who want to see Paris... & me- duh!:

1. Michael - November 20 weekend
2. Charlin - early December
3. Lindsay - my love arrives Dec 12
4. Leann - mid-December
5. Devinson - mid-December

Class registration starts soon & I have to find housing in Boston from Jan-April as well... I luckily have one summer vacation then my last co-op! So I gotta make it a good company... preferably outside Boston as much as I want to spend a semester as a SENIOR (omg.) with my friends. Hopefully I'll get the job I've been eyeing since I've been a freshman and even heard about co-op... I'll be crossing my fingers!

Finally-- rant-time, perhaps?

For some reason, it's hard for me to get along with Americans I don't know... I feel like I have such little in common with them. I meet all these international & French people and they have substance- because they've LIVED and travelled and are open-minded. Hopefully I'm not as boring to them as I find other Americans.

The sucky part about AUP is that although there are a lot of nationalities, people just seem clique-y here or basically they're all the same. They look the same, although there are some individuals, generally people here are not very interesting... I came here pretty much by myself which sucks. That's why I insist on visiting Reims/Sunny so much or traveling to other countries where my friends are with their own international friends. Here, everyone speaks English & it sounds ridiculous in Paris!

It's also hard because Paris is a big city and everyone lives separately- mostly on their own. I live in a shoebox on the 8th floor, because of the ridiculous USD. I'm at least trying not to wipe out my co-op savings by the time I get back to Boston.

Sighhh... anyway. Classes for me have been pretty great. Teachers really like me and hopefully I'll pass with flying colors. I'm glad that I've had this chance to take cool electives in another city outside Boston. But now, I kinda miss Boston =*( However I know once I go back, I'll really miss France.

In conclusion, I miss American TV.