Wa Na Na, Jack Bandit

So, I bought a Nickelodeon Rewind series on iTunes and Doug is on it, along with some other awesome Nicktoons that I miss o so much. And I forgot how amazing that show is. I just hope that one day I'm able to be involved in a show like Doug. One that is fun and entertaining but also gives kids a good role model, and, of course, is successful. 

My parents came in this past weekend! It was so so good to see them and to get to show them around Paris. We did a lot of the touristy things but I also got to show them where I go to school and they got to meet my host family and see where I'm living. We had dinner with my host family Sunday evening and it was quite fun. Everyone did a great job with the language barrier, and it was really funny because my parents got to experience first hand what any American in Europe does...Being asked about Obama. At least now it's not, which are you for, but what do you think about (finally!). 

We went to the Musee Carnavalet which is two huge houses that have been converted into a museum of the history of Paris. It wasn't as cool as I was expecting but I think my dad liked it a lot, so I'm really glad we got to go. Plus I'd been trying to get there for like a month!

Saturday we went and toured Roland Garros!!! (the stadiums where the have the French Open) It was so cool to see the different stadiums and then to go onto the main one and realize how small the stadium is compared to Wimbeldon and the US Open stadiums. We got to see the press boxes and the players locker rooms. The coolest part was getting to see the stairwell onto the court because the players sign it every time they walk up to play a match. And they have little markers so you can actually tell who's signature it is. 

It was an amazing weekend, and it was sad to see them go, but really great to realize I only have 3 weeks left. I feel like it's been forever since I've been home, and am so ready to go  back. I'm positive I'll miss it when I do get home though. So for now, I'll enjoy each minute possible so I can look back and remember how much fun I had. 

Good Craic

So the past two weeks have been absolutely crazy. Chrissy came to visit for six days and I had an amazing time with her! We rented the cutest apartment ever for a week down in the Marais (my favorite part of Paris). We had so much fun and it was amazing being able to cook dinner at the apartment and not have to worry about spending a ton of money on dinner every night! We did all of the touristy things like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre and Notre Dame but we also went to Pere Lachaise Cemetery which I had never been to before and it was absolutely amazing! When we first walked in most of the grave markers in the tombs were from the 1800s and everything was so old and neat. We say Jim Morrison's grave, Edith Piaf's, and George Melies'. It was a really great place and I can't wait to go back. 

Then this past weekend I went to Dublin to visit Karlene. 

I can't even express how much I loved Dublin. I had an amazing time hanging out with Karlene and just walking around the city. Everyone asks what all we did and we did really do that much but it was just a blast. We went out for one of her friend's birthdays Friday night to a bar and it was so fun. I had my first beer in three months (amazing, I'm getting tired of wine and kir) and I felt so comfortable there. Not like here where I'm constantly worried about the creepy french guys creepin up on me and my friends when we go out. 

Then Saturday we went to Kilmaihnam Prison (way cool) and went shopping. Saturday night we just hung out at Karlene's apartment and I tried sticky toffee pudding which is really good but also really rich. Then Sunday we walked around Dublin more, we went to the National Gallery and walked along the river. Fun stuff, minus having to carry my backpack around the whole time, but it was well worth it!

I had my first hamburger in three months too!!! And it was pretty much the best I've ever had. We went to Joe Burgers which was probably the coolest restaurant I've seen in a long time and my burger had some type of yummy relish, applewood smoked cheese, and apples! It was sooo soooo good. And we had sweet potatoe fries. mmmm

Anyway, I loved Dublin and really want to go back someday, and maybe even live there at some point, that would be awesome. 

My parents are coming tomorrow morning!! I'm really excited to see them and show them around Paris, it will be a lot of fun! Everyone else's parents have come so now it's my turn! :)

Only one month left!! I can't believe how fast it's gone by but also how long it feels like I've been away from home. 

...and that I graduate in less than seven months... < : 0

Cupcakes

Again, it's been too long since i have updated everyone!

IT'S ELECTION DAY!! I'm excited to wake up tomorrow morning and find out who our new president is! Polls close at 9:00 am our time, so it'll be perfect! So, don't forget to vote!! :)
The weekend before last I went on a day trip with IES to Provins, a mideavel city about an hour and a half away. The trip was interesting but not near as fun or cool as I thought it would be. O well, we had an amazing lunch, if IES is good at one thing that's feeding us well!

My family left this past Thursday to go on vacation for the weekend, and I was really excited to have the house to myself! That night I had Rebekah, Bonnie, and Amanda over for dinner and we made mexican food! We made guacamole with extremely unripe avocados which turned out more like pico but it was still good! And tacos and I made cupcakes for dessert!! We couldn't find the right things to make icing in the store so we ended up just using Nutella for icing! lol. it was good and we almost ate the whole jar of Nutella. We also had Marguerittas! It was nice not having to pay 12 euros for them! and they were delicious. That night made me realize just how much I miss being completely comfortable in a house and not constantly worrying about what I'm doing. My host family is amazing and I'm so lucky and happy that I live with them, but it's still not the same. So, I'll be so so glad when I'm back home and comfortable with my surroundings!

This past weekend Karlene came to visit! It was so good to see her even though it felt like we had just been together (which we had)! It was soooo cold friday and Saturday and it rained all day Saturday (boo). We had made plans to go down into the catacombs (which would have been prefect with the rain) but alas they were closed for All Saints day (boo again). So, instead, we spend the day shopping in Galeries Lafayette, an indoor shopping center, since everything else in Paris must be done outdoors. We had fun though! That night we went to dinner with Remi and Antoine and then went at saw W. (an absolutely horrible film). Sunday was a lot of fun, not sunny but not raining which is really all that matters. We went to the Eiffel Tower sunday morning and then went to Rue Mouffetard for lunch at a little tarte restaurant that was amazing! After that we went to the Musee D'Orsay (which was free because it was the first Sunday of the month) and that was really cool. I think we both decided we like the Louvre better though. More history, cooler building, and more interesting paintings (not a huge fan of impressionism! :)

So, we had a balst, and I can't wait to go to Dublin and visit her!

This weekend Chrissy is coming to visit!! I can't wait to see her and for her to see the city! We're renting an apartment in a really awesome area of Paris. She'll be here until next thursday and then that Friday I leave for Dublin. :) busy next week and a half!

I'll add pictures when I get home. I'm at IES using a french keyboard set to American settings, glad that I was forced to learn how to type! :D

Hope everyone is having a great day!