Sunday, December 20, 2009

Wow. I'm embarassed. So its been about TWO Months since my last blog post! Quelle Horreur! I don't know, I always start writing something then feel silly because WHO THE HECK AM I WRITING TO?! But you know what, I'm writing this more as a way to keep up with my thoughts through this crazy study abroad experience so lets play a little game of catch up, shall we? (Even if this is just me re-visiting this blog!)

So October came and went almost as quickly as November! Besides exploring Paris more, I made it  to Dublin, Prague, Stockholm, and London. I loved all the cities I visited and after each one, I deemed it my new "favorite." But after some reflection, [not including Paris, nothing beats Paris!] I've decided my favorite for sights was Prague...



the only way I can describe this place is FAIRY TALE! I would never be able to live/work there. I would just be waiting for my fairy godmother and prince charming to sweep me away the whole time! I have literally hundreds of pictures of buildings from this place. The people were super nice too and they had already started setting up christmas displays (this was before HALLOWEEN!?) so there was excellent food to nosh on too!



Stockholm was just a cool place. It had a NYC vibe, but still very mideval. Not to mention it is made up of 16 islands! And yes, the people were all tall, blonde, and gorgeous! Only drawback (besides everyone being ten times prettier than you, ha) was that it was legit dark out at 3:30! We were there for two nights, and both nights we went to the movies! Which is what everyone in Stockholm does (we asked the person selling tickets, we were so confused by the mad rush of people buying tickets.) there are 5 big cinemas throughout the city and each one played about 10 movies (each seating about 200) you had to buy your tickets and hour in advanced to reserve a spot! CraZy!




Oh and then there was London.... I went there in the beginning of November as a seriously spontaneous thing. My friend and I were on skysscanner.com and found really cheap tickets to go for THAT weekend (it was weds. night) so we decided to just go. My friend from highschool had studied there for 2 years because he loved it so much, so I knew we were going to have a blast. He also hooked us up and let us stay with his old roommates. We really experienced the "British Gentlemen." Hello, living with 3 ex-rugby player, British army boys. If I could have stayed there forever, I would have. The people were more than friendly, the food was delish, and the atmosphere was AMAZING. Tope 3 cities I want to live/work in after graduation NYC, London, or Paris (maybe all three?!?)

Since being back in Paris, I got my HAIR CUT! It was beyond a beast! I got about 8 inches and 10 lbs thinned out! I was not quite ready for that drastic of a cut, but luckily, my hair grows super fast and it already grew an inch!


We celebrated Thanksgiving at the "center" and boy was it amazing! These kids really new how to cook! I'll admit it, I was a bit REALLY depressed about not being home with the fam (hello, i have awesome 9 siblings!) but I just blocked it out! I knew I needed to shake it off and make the most of being with my new friends/family in PARIS! I literally had to be rolled onto the metro after that feast!

This past week was the last week of classes for the semester students. It was so hard saying goodbye to all of my new friends. It really felt like our time had been cut short. Although I'm jealous and sad again to not be going home for the holidays, this is a once in a lifetime chance and they'll be other Christmases, RIGHT?!?!
I don't think know if I explained how much of a homebody and mama/daddy's girl I am. When I went to NYC for school Freshman year, I couldn't deal with being away from everyone, so I gave up my dream and transferred to Philly to be closer to home. (it was one of my biggest regrets for leaving NYC, but trust me, it was for the best! Homegirl was a depressed pup!) Each weekend that I wasn't working, I was home, playing with the little sibs and going on walks with mama-bear. Now I'm lucky if I get to skype once every two weeks!


Forgot to mention, I went to a French rugby match! they destroyed the samoans! YAY! It was so funny to contrast american sporting events to this. The whole stadium did the wave (i have a video of it somewhere, need to find it!!) you buy berets and scarves instead of baseball caps and t-shirts! There is no food to buy inside, only outside from street vendors. Such a fun sport to watch though. I need to find me a rugby baller! =)

My BFF from high school is flying in tonight from Israel (she goes to NYU and was studying there for a semester) I cannot wait for her to come! On Monday we leave for Amsterdam, and I PROMISE to update while I am there! We come home Christmas Eve and then are having dinner a feast with the family I tutor English to. Sooo excited!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Bisous!
Morgan

Friday, October 23, 2009

DUBLIN!!

Hey All!

I don't know what happened to my thursday post, but seeing as it just containted my complaints of packing, its probably best that its lost because now I'm in DUBLIN!!!!!!!!!! After a longgggggg day of travelling (9am -4ish) my friend Amanda and I were set loose in this beautiful city! In just 4 hours here, I already made more friends with the locals than 2 months in Paris!

We were both so exhausted (and full! delish fried food and a kilkenny, mmmm) from our day, that we walked around for half an hour and decided to call it a night. i feel EXTREMELY lame spending one out of my 4 nights in Dublin in a hostel, but Mama would most def NOT approve of me wandering these parts alone!

Tomorrow we are going to a lot of touristy places and my marathon expo. So excited for free goodies!!! Sunday we're taking a country tour (then an early night in, yet again), Monday its my marathon/not finishing the race till i have a hubby, then tuesday is our final day before PRAGUE! I'll try to update as much as possible during the next few days, but I'll safe a longgg post for when I get back so that way I can have pics.

I will tell you some highlights of the day though:
*Putting Amanda's suitcase in the overhead only to give the man in front of me a sharp blow in the head with my elbow (my elbow is still sore)
*Having to pay £35 extra euros to check-in my overweight carry-on
*Almost getting beat up by 2 North English girls because I mistaking thoguht their staring was them being freindly Irish girls.
*Having my cell phone break
*Calling SOS by accident
Yes this list is only of one days of travels. I've come to the conclusion life will never be easy for me. And I'm okay with that! =)

A bientot!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Merci Mercredi

Salut!

So today was just as long and horrible as I thought it would be. I woke up wayyyy to early to compensate for doing nothing last night, but all I got accomplished was laundry and I attempted to clean the mess that is my room. After that it was time to take a shower, but not before doing a quick session of ab workout.

To make up the loss of studying time, (honestly, who does my school think they are making me study when I'm in Paris?!?) I decided instead of running during my three hour class break, I should put my time to good use and actually study.  Except, studying in the little meeting area of our "centre" (the cult name for our school) is impossible because there are too many distractions. I did manage to get in about an hour and the exam really was quite easy! (Phew!)

I'm a little bitter that I didnt run because by the time I  finished the exam at 6:30, it was rainy and dark out, not ideal for running. But I figure since I am running a marathon monday and did such a long run yesterday, a day off will probably do me some good!

I wish I could say I am done procrastinating studying, but nope, one more exam to go then its vacation time!!!

Which is why I  don't know why I've been in such a crappy mood lately. Besides today, the weather has been unseasonably dry and warm. I should be smiling my face off, seeing as I live in Paris (where it normally rains all the time) Everytime, I tell myself this, I tell myself to shut up. ha!

Friday morning (bright an early) I leave for DUBLIN, PRAGUE, AND STOCKHOLM! I'm running the marathon in Dublin (I'll be there from Friday to Weds.) then Prage for 2 days, and Stockholm for 2 days. I'm really, really excited, just a bit exhausted & nervous! I can't wait to soak up the country air in Cork!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Manic Mardi

Most people hate Mondays, me, I'm really beginning to hate Tuesdays (or Mardis)...

Its midterm week, so like all college kids, I stayed up way to late last night doing everything else BUT studying. I was a bit bitter about being in Paris and having to stay inside to study, so to show my professors they couldn't make me, I didn't study. But I didnt go out either. I know, this makes absolutely no sense.
I still had to somehow cram in 7 Centuries worth of French history through architecture in my head, so I decided to wake up early and have a study date with the books.

In my bedroom, I have a big window and balcony that looks right out to the Champs de Elysees. As you can imagine, this is very distracting. After about an hour of studying (aka facebooking) and constant glances out the windo, I decided to lace up my sneaks and go for a quick run. 45 mins outside would do my mind good, and I'd be better focused.

The arc de triumph

TWO hours later... I finally came back. It was just one of those good runs where you can't stop. The weather was perfect and I love watching all the people there. When else will I be able to run past the Arc de Triumph, through the Louvre, around the Jardin des Tuilieries, and past the Bastille?

90 years of Vogue covers lining the rue! (yes, Madonna's Vogue has been stuck in my head all day after this!)

This would have been all fine and dandy if
a.) it wasn't midterm week
b.) if I didn't have classes all day today, so really a two hour run had no place in my schedule
c.) I AM RUNNING A MARATHON ON MONDAY... this was supposed to be my tapering week!

I know it was really stupid of me, but it had been a long time since I'd run for that long. I had a lot on my mind and it just felt so good. I'm big into "listening to my body," it was definitely telling me to keep going! Plus, I'm doing the marathon just for fun anyway, so "ce n'est pas grave!"

Well after I rushed home, I jumped in the shower, and gobbled up some tuna. Then I left a video message for my mom on her Facebook page (i know, shes THAT cool) and ran to the metro to get to class in time.

After three hours of classes, I had to board the RER (basically a train) to Bourg-la-Reine. I "studied" for the hour commute (or just listened to adorable little girl talk to her momma in french!), and then taught English to two French families (I get 15 Euro/hour , for a total of 45 Euros plus dinnahh, mmmm!) I didn't get home till 10:30ish and now its 11 and I haven't even looked at the stuff for tomorrows exam....


The RER


I really thought this whole study abroad thing would be a whole less studying and a lot more "abroad-ing"?!??!

Bisous!

Monday, October 19, 2009

Bonjour/Salut/Hello/Aloha/Hola/Hallo/Ciao

Hello Everyone (everyone who I hope is reading this blog!)

I tried to start one of these earlier, but it go lost in the world of cyberspace, so alas, I've had to start another one!

To play a little catch up, I am studying abroad in Paris, France for the whole year! I got her August 26 and I wont touch the good Ol' US of A's soil until next August. So far, its been quite a trip and I've been a little too busy to miss it that much. Except the fam. Each weekend I miss them lots!

Speaking of family, let me give you a little background history. I come from a little suburb about 50 mins from Philadelphia (YAY Phillys!) I have 9, yes you read that right, NINE, fabulous brothers and sisters. I have three hunky, little broskies and 6 pretty, princess sisters (I don't know how my father survived us?) I'm the fourth oldest, but the middle girl. (aka- Daddy's fav!)

But dont jump the gun, we're not craZy like the Duggers or anything (okay, so maybe all of our names start with M's -except 2!, but at least we dont dress the same and we went to public school!) We are all super close, so leaving them was horrificly hard! I'm actually glad to NOT be going home for Christmas break because I know it would be way to hard to leave them again. But as I told my momma when she asked, "Why are you doing this to me?"- I gotta cut the umbilical cord sometime!

Anyway, I want to do this blog so I have a memory of all the fun things I saw, all teh crazy things I did, the delicous food I tasted while in Paris! I have a few journal entries from the last two months, so maybe I'll figure a way to post them up without taking up new days? Also, I know when I started planning for study abroad, I had NO idea what I was getting into, so if anybody has any questions, please feel free to ask!

A bientot!,
Morgan =)
My three brothers and three little sisters!

My three older sisters et moi (I'm in the green)