Who Would've Thought 43 Degrees Would Be Warm?

This week has been walking-zombie week. I can't seem to get un-tired. I have no idea how I handle 8am classes at UT when I can’t seem to be awake for 8:30 seminars all this week. It was rough. Let’s just say the history of French kings isn’t exactly exhilarating. Yesterday we had a test on all of the seminars we attended all week long, and it was basically writing 5 essays in 5 different blue books. Tons of fun for the second week here. At least it counts as a class!

Last night, we went to a typical European club, called Club Mix. I know, already it’s cliché. The lights, the techno music, the strange dancing. It was great! On Thursdays, the club only lets international students in, and you can wear a sticker that has the flag of your home country. Let’s just say some get a little into it, and weird people plus alcohol = 3+ stickers on some people. We left early, trying to catch the Metro back to our neighborhood, but of course, we run into the train station and hear the last Metro leaving. That meant walking or taxi at 1am in Paris in 30 degree weather. In heels. Hmmm, TAXI! After talking to our friends from school this morning, we found that the thing to do is actually to stay out until the Metro starts running again around 5:30 or 6 am. Yeah, maybe I'll try that once. Maybe.

Today Jennie, Jessica, David and I went to Versailles. Note to self: don't go to Versailles on a soggy day in the middle of winter. Though inside the palace and Marie Antoinette's living areas were beautiful and the whole place was stunning, the ground was very muddy and a lot of it was under construction. Today it wasn't raining, but it was kind of like the sky was just dripping/snotting (eww) on us. At random times you would feel a drop, and it was uncomfortably windy today, the kind that chills you to the bones. In addition, none of the fountains were on or even had water in them, obviously since it is winter here, and those were actually semi-creepy all exposed. I think what we decided was that we wanted to take the train back out there in the spring when all the flowers bloom and it is warmer, because it is free just to walk around the gardens.

This whole week has been a walking cliché: going to the Euro club, realizing most/all of the Paris stereotypes are true (people really do walk down the street eating baguettes, and everyone wears all black!), going to the tourist-y spots (Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Versailles), and then, to top it all off, Jennie lost/had her wallet stolen as we were on the way back from Versailles. Not a terrible situation, nothing very valuable in there, just makes us all that much more cautious now.

For now, I really can't think of anything but sleeping or just sitting and just watching a movie for the rest of the weekend, though as I live in Paris, I know I should take advantage and at least explore some more or go out with my new friends from school. Maybe tomorrow.