c'est la vie

i thought i would check in before running to my advising appointment at 14h20. i came home for lunch today, after stopping at my favorite little boulangerie (desgranges) to buy a crispy fresh baguette for just one measly little euro. probably my best purchase thus far.

anyway, it's friday! finally. the two-week intensive language seminar is halfway over. i had "class" for four hours every day this week: two hours of phonetics&oral pronunciation, and two hours of grammar&writing skills. it's been pretty intense. out of nine groups, i placed into the eighth, so the course is kind of kicking my ass. i am reading my first real novel in french, it is "un roman policier" (a mystery) and despite the complaints of my classmates, i'm actually enjoying the book. it just takes me forever to read, because i underline everything i don't know, and then go back at the end of the chapter and look things up. no more of this haphazard skimming through business. i can't do that when i'm not fluent! but yes. my ass is bruised. one week left, though, and then real classes begin on february 2nd.

i'm meeting with my advisor today to discuss classes, but so far my plans include: the contemporary art world, francophone literature OR new currents in french lit, gender & sexuality in france, and business french. except business french has some pre-requisites that i may not be able to argue, so i'd take european cinema instead. that or take a class at sciences-po, a parisian university. we'll see about that. the universities here are striking at the moment! and i believe the metro workers were talking about striking next week... ah, la france.

also, parisian weather is just as bad (if not worse) than ohio weather. and by that i mean it is very bipolar. i have learned to never leave the house without an umbrella, because clouds could gather out of nowhere and dump water on the unsuspecting denizens of this city. i have also learned to dress in layers, because it could be 54 degrees on my way to class, as it was this morning, and a mere 30 on my way to lunch. c'est ridicule!

plans for the weekend include:
-paris by night on the river seine, in the bateaux-mouche!
-finishing reading that novel, and other assorted homework
-exploring the louvre/père lachaise (weather dependent)
-mmm you know, probably going out on the town, pour boire un café ou peut-être du vin!
-sleeping, eating, taking my vitamins. i've been feeling a little under the weather.
-buying my eurostar ticket to LONDON for feb 6-8. asap.
-taking more photos
-doing some yoga on my antique silk rug. ha.

if anybody wants me to send them a postcard, give me your address!
and here's mine, in case you feel like making me feel loved:

Faustyna Hariasz
c/o NYU in Paris
56 rue de Passy
75016 Paris
FRANCE


hope everyone is doing well :)