Thanks for being patient! This week was absolutely hectic. Starting Sunday I had to study for four exams, write two six page papers (all in German), pack, clean my room and bathroom, buy presents, sleep, and say my last minute goodbyes. Needless to say sleeping came in last place! Although it was most likely the most stressful week in my time abroad, it was definitely the most productive. I already know some of my grades- two A-s so far, which is good since most German professors don’t give out A’s unless you are THAT student that actually comes to class, pays attention, readily participates, always knows the answer, does the homework on time and exceeds expectations, etc. No one ever does ALL of the above, so I will most likely be getting A-s, which I am definitely okay with! All in all I am very satisfied with my program, classes, and abroad experience.
But you want to hear about Paris, am I right?
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| Notre Dame |
Up until this past weekend, Nick and I have had exceptionally good luck when it comes to traveling. Our trains are rarely late, we never miss a connection, and whenever there is good luck to be had, we had it. That all changed on this trip! Early Friday morning we met at the train station in Freiburg to get on the train to Offenburg, where we changed trains to Strasbourg. On the very first train, the man sitting across the way had spilled some of his coffee, and I wanted Nick to get his attention so that I could give him something to clean it up with. Nick refused, however the man noticed the commotion and I gave him the paper towel anyway, telling Nick that he is going to need my good karma later, which he mocked for a little while. LITTLE DID WE KNOW that my good karma would come into use in less than 30 minutes! As soon as we got off of our train, that same man came running off the train with Nick’s passport, which he had accidentally dropped and left on the train! So much for scoffing at my good karma! As soon as we made it to Strasbourg we hurried to the ticket window to see if we could quickly buy reservations for the train to Paris. The man at the ticket counter in Germany said that the Germans were only allowed to sell a few French train tickets per train and that they withhold a serious amount for themselves and that we should have no problem showing up in Strasbourg and getting a reservation. Again, no luck.
The lady at the ticket window said that ALL trains from Strasbourg to Paris for the ENTIRE month of December were already sold out! After talking to the poor lady for a good 15 minutes, we had to wait an hour to take various regional trains to get to Paris. In total the trip took over 10 hours, including three one hour layovers and a 40 minute delay, but we finally made it!
We found our hostel and hurried to the Louvre- the entrance tickets are cheaper on Friday nights- and spent an hour and a half wandering around the gigantic museum, getting lost here and there. It is totally understandable why people actually get very lost in the Louvre- it is so easy to get turned around and the map/signs aren’t very helpful! Afterwards we both crashed after a long day of traveling and speed museum-ing.
The next day we were up early and ready to go, out of the door by 10:00. We took the metro to the river, where we got crepes for breakfast and started the day of sightseeing at the Pantheon. We were going to go inside, but entrance was 8 Euros- a fee I was not about to pay! Afterwards we walked over to the Notre Dame, which was gigantic and beautiful. It made me want to watch the Hunchback of Notre Dame again, since I haven’t watched it in ages! It was also inspiring to see a cathedral that I had heard so much about but had never had the chance to see in person. Afterwards we walked along the river for a long time, trying to make our way over to the Eiffel Tower.
After a long walk we finally made it! I could hardly believe that I was finally standing in the shadows of THE Eiffel Tower. We wanted to be a little extravagant and take the elevator all the way to the top, but the line was three times as long and the top was “closed due to congestion” anyway, so we decided to take the cheap route and walk to the 2nd floor. Midway through the climb, I could see why it was the cheap route! There are about 600 steps and although I made it to the second floor, I was pretty tired afterwards! The view was amazing- you can see all of Paris from the tower. It was also special just because of what I was standing in, looking out on the city of Paris. People wait their whole lives to do what I did and it made me feel very lucky to have been able to have the experience. We went into the gift shop, looked around the tower, and then decided to go back down to get lunch, which ended up being just as expensive as if we had eaten in the Eiffel Tower!! Everything in Paris is crazy expensive and I blew through over 60 Euros in no time!
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| Santa at the Weihnachts Markt! |
After our lunch in a cute café we walked over the bridge where we stumbled upon a “Weihnachtsmarkt”, but did not seem to be very influenced by the Germans. It seemed to be more of a Christmas festival with various kinds of foods and other international things. After we walked through the markt we walked over to the famous “Arc de Triomphe” that Nick wanted to see and then walked through the downtown where we got to see Paris thriving with people out shopping on a Saturday evening. We came across another Weihnachtsmarkt which lined the main street, but was less German and more international. The whole time I had been searching for some dishtowel that Dalaina wanted but was having absolutely no luck finding. After coming close to giving up, we found… a dishtowel store! We went inside and of course, the dish towel she wanted was not available. So I bought a similar one since I had found the store anyway, I might as well get something out of it! Afterwards we went home to the hostel where we made dinner and then chatted for awhile. Around 9pm we met a random guy who was originally from the US but now lives in London and had the most amazing stories and entertained us the whole night. After a long day I went gladly to bed and had to wake up early Sunday morning in order to make our train (which we actually had reservations for) back home.
Although it was a relatively short trip to Paris I enjoyed my time there. I got to see everything that I wanted to see and it made me happy to know that even if I never get the chance to go back to Europe, at least once in my life I have stood in Notre Dame and climbed the Eiffel Tower.
As I already said, once we got back the stressful week commenced. I spent hours upon hours studying and working hard and finally, Thursday night, I got to enjoy my last few hours with my new friends. I feel so lucky to have met all these amazing people, who have truly become great friends. When it came time for me to actually say my goodbyes, I became terribly sad, because although it felt like it would never end it stopped so abruptly that I couldn’t even comprehend it. As I was walking alone to the Strassenbahn, I felt like the next day would be just another day and I could call up the girls, go hang out, go shopping at the Weihnachtsmarkt, or do something else fun with my friends. In reality, I had to go home and clean and pack for three hours so that when my appointment at 8:15am came, I was ready to go. The only feeling I could possibly compare it to is the “ghost limb” feeling an amputee has… you feel like everything is normal and the way it should be, but really it is just a shadow of the past that you just have not let go of yet. Even now, with three days left in Germany I feel like my time is not up. “Tuesday” is just some day in the future that will never come… but that is just unrealistic thinking. What is real is that my suitcases are about 20 pounds overweight each and that I have to savor my last few days in Germany (and figure out a way to make my bags lighter!)
Speaking of my bags, the trip to Düsseldorf was by far the most stressful trip I have ever had! Thank goodness one of my roommates happened to be leaving the same time as me; she helped me schlep one of my bags onto the Strassenbahn and Rhys, although I had only offhandedly mentioned it before, was waiting for me at the train station when I got there (and thank god! I could never have managed to carry my big suitcase down the stairs alone!). Somehow I managed to find a space for my huge suitcases on the first super full train, but I was nervous the whole way. The weather was cold and snowing and I knew that the train would be at least 5 minutes late- and I only had 10 minute to change trains in Karlsruhe! I spent the whole first hour worrying about missing my train (which would have been terrible with so many bags) but somehow, like the hulk, I went down and up stairs with both of my bags at the same time (the big one on this almost worthless conveyer belt) and I ran onto the right wagon on my train and got on ontime! Once I was on the train it ended up being very full and I was worried that my big bag, which I had left in the open, would be in the way or moved or taken somewhere else. But my bags and I made it to Düsseldorf (30 minutes late) and once I arrived I figured out how to use the Strassenbahn and made it to the Reineckes! In case you have never done it before, dragging two huge, heavy suitcases in the snow is not fun or easy.
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| Me and Max at the Reinecke's House! |
Robby and Annette picked me up and I finally made it there, where we all chatted and caught up. We were supposed to go to Bonn for Annette’s father’s birthday dinner, but because of the terrible weather/snow there were accidents everywhere and people could not make it. Annette thought that Max wouldn’t come anymore, but I was sitting alone in the kitchen and he just showed up! Apparently no one had told him the dinner was canceled and he came anyway. Annette’s niece, Antonio came also, but because a tree had fallen onto the tracks she ended up having to get off of the train in some town 20 minutes away. Max and I went to pick her up and afterwards Uli came home and we all ate dinner together- and then Felix finally arrived! I was so happy that the whole family was there, it has made everything fun already! Toni has been very nice and fun for me to hang out with. That night we went out with some of their friends, some of which I knew from a few years ago, and some I didn’t. Three times yesterday people I didn’t know thought that I was German, not American, because I spoke German the whole time (and apparently well!) Even a girl I had met a few years ago didn’t recognize me until I spoke English to her to prove that I was actually American and not German! If nothing else I’m taking it as a compliment that I had a “good” German day!
Today, after a long, deep sleep (after a week of sleepless nights) I was refreshed and Toni, the boys, me, and Uli went to pick out a Christmas tree. Afterwards the girls went to the Ratingen Weihnachtsmarkt. Tonight we are going to a couple's birthday party and as a surprise a group of friends are doing a skit at the party but someone got sick- and I have to play the nurse! It will be very entertaining... we will see how it turns out!
Hopefully tomorrow or Monday I get to see Sarah, Miriam, and Nathalie. Then before I know it, I will have to repack my bags (so that they aren't a million pounds!) and make my way to the airport... to come home! It's been a great trip :)
