6/4/09 10:51 PM CEST
It's been quite a while- sorry for the lack of update... My desire to blog has been turned off by the failure of internet around here....
The campus is gorgeous. It's really great. There's even a dining hall where I can spend 2.85 Euro on a meal- which, believe me- is very very cheap- it's only about $4 for a decent meal. There's also a bar, a swimming pool, etc. All in my building!
Anyway... I moved into my dorm on Monday- it took me about 3 hours to find someone to give my papers and keys, but it eventually happened. I was really let down at first because it looked old and gross but it's definitely home by this point. It's also less shabby now that i've unpacked.
I've been hanging out with Nina, Esther, McKay, and Ben. They're awesome.
Tuesday was the first day of class. It was pretty fun- it's at a little school in the 7th Arrondissement, where the staff is excellent. Our professor is also much cooler than one would have anticipated given his attitude towards the rules when I was first applying.
Class/reading has been interesting. I absolutely adore French history - and even though I'm quite sick of Louis XIV and his massive ego at this point, everything has been very fascinating and I'm learning so much- a fact magnified by being here in the city, able to witness firsthand the history which is ubiquitous- in many aspects of the city.
We also, with our class, got a packet of goodies- a French student discount cards for museums and other things, a one month pass to the Louvre, a metro card - which I loaded up with unlimited access to the metro this month.
After class, we had an epic shopping spree- I bought a prepaid cell (+33 06 30 23 51 01) if anyone in the States (or elsewhere for that matter) wants to call. I also got mini towels since I forgot mine at home and since the real sized ones were 25 Euro. They're hot pink and beige- awesome. I also got new headphones since I lost the ones I took from José like the second day I got here- sadness pie.
Wednesday, Esther and I were walking through the hall when we saw a video of a bunch of dignitaries waltzing at some event- I commented and Esther said she loved to waltz. We proceeded to dance a bit outside, where a man soon approached us and complimented our ability. We spent about half an hour talking to him, where we found out that he, an 82 year-old French man, had been the Champion (1st Place!) of Rock-n-Roll dance in Paris. I believe that's some kind of swing, or jive. Either way, he said a few beautiful things, about how when one dances, the music should be one's primary partner, and also about how he hates his wife, who doesn't like dancing, and he doesn't understand why. He said he wouldn't have married her if he had known. I respect his decision. That led me to find a dance studio around here, where Esther and I went in and had a wonderful wonderful hip-hop lesson. I think I'll be buying a 12-class package so I can take Contemporary, Modern/Jazz, and Hip-Hop classes for the rest of my time here. YAY!
I think it was that night that we went to the Eiffel Tower- it was magnificent. It's actually kind of ugly in daylight. It's quite wiry (as in, it appears to be composed of many wires) and isn't as study-looking as one would imagine. However, at night- it was brilliant. Every hour, for five minutes, it would light up and sparkle. It was gorgeous.
Today, we went to the Louvre. We decided that since it was so large, we should split it up in sections and attempt to tackle it all by the time we got home. However, it was so overwhelming. Here are some of the things I got to see today, which I found to be especially important or personally found touching. The Mona Lisa was small. Very small.
The Venus de Milo was very cool. It was beautiful. Apparently, even though it's called VENUS they don't really know if it is Venus because they could never find the arms. I honestly don't know why it is as renowned as it is, but it was still very cool being able to see it.
There was also this painting called La Jeune Martyre, by Delaroche. It's sad, but also, inspiring- in the sense that she represents, to me, someone who stood up for what she believes. She seems peaceful, in spite of everything else. It is an extremely moving painting and is even more awe-inspiring (in size, and otherwise) in person.
Side note, most of the people with me agreed that they did not think the halo belonged there. I personally thought that it added so much to the painting, and that it is definitely an integral part of the painting- otherwise, it's just some girl who doesn't know how to swim, and apparently tied herself up? What do you think about the halo? Leave a comment.
This painting by Titian, Man With a Glove, was one of my favorites, if not my favorite. It was so thought-provoking. Done in the early 16th century, it was a precedent setter for having a portrait show below the shoulders, and also for highlighting the subject's personality rather than his social status. He does this by the juxtaposition of the relative darkness of the painting to the subject's skin- highlighting his personal features. I think I relate to the man with the glove- in personality, that is- this is independent of the fact that I lost one of my favorite leather/cashmere gloves freshmen year and only had one left, which I had to throw away.
I also loved this one. It's called Atala Portée au Tombeau. Another sad one, but the emotion that this man feels for Atala is very moving. I guess I'm a little emo, but I tend to be moved by the emotional paintings.
There were some other interesting paintings, including the Coronation of Napoleon (David), but I'm trying to not quickly turn this into an art history lecture. There's just far too much to say about the last one... read up. It's extremely interesting.
I plain passed out after the Louvre. It was overwhelming. One could spend a lifetime studying there.
I rounded out the evening with a call from José, who yelled at me for not having gone to La Durée. I'll be there soon, calm down. Geesh.
Well I think that took long enough. I have to read Moliere's the Learned Ladies by 8:30AM tomorrow. We're going to some chateau, and I'm either gonna be really excited or really...you know... asleep.
I'll be on again soon, promise. As my iPod is singing to me: "And I miss you (like the deserts miss the rain)."
