A Victor Duruy pendant la grève

 

This is the photo that we woke up to (or arrive to this am)

Paris promenade

Nicolas: Yesterday was an eventful day. After not being able to attend school with our correspondants due to a student-led strike outside of the school, we went for a promenade around Paris. We visited the gorgeous gardens of the city, and were able to see the glass pyramid out in front of the Louvre. Sadly, we could not enter the museum due to the strikes. Lastly, we did some shopping at the Galleries Lafayette.

This past weekend we drove from Calais to Normandy to Britany to Paris. I slept for the entirety of our time on the bus except when seeing the different WWII historical places and memorials- I am very glad we were able to see those. So far, I am having a wonderful time in Paris! I have really enjoyed experiencing the lifestyle of a Parisian teenager and I am loving the tremendous amounts of cheese, bread, and Nutella. My favorite part of Paris is the mix between the very old historical and valuable buildings and arts mixed with the more modern vibe of what the massive mall Galleries Lafayette beholds. I am very very excited for the rest of this week, for it has all gone by so fast. (Catie)

On the roof of Galleries Lafayette

On our way to the Louvre-passing by the Obelisk

At the Louvre-- we'll go back Wednesday

Xochitl: Yesterday, I spent the morning attending my correspondents classes. She took me to Physics, German, and Geography. It was interesting to attend physics as it is a class I currently take at my school so hearing concepts and words familiar to me being lectured in French was definitely a reminder to me that I was in a foreign country. In German I was taught a bit of the language along with the opportunity to have a fast paced conversation with the teacher in French. Geography was geography. Unfortunately the teacher asked me many questions that my responses could potentially agree with the stereotype of Americans and geography, so that was not much of a highlight. After we had lunch. It was quite shocking to me to see that they received a main dish along with side dishes for lunch. Being in a cafeteria was also a new experience as I have grown accustom to Poly’s mainly outdoor sitting. The rest of the day was filled with lots of walking around popular sites in France. We had a small break that my friends and I used to have a quick coffee before we continued on with the sites. After my feet were pretty exhausted but I am thankful for all the beautiful sites I was able to see and the new experiences I gained today.

At the potluck welcome

I have had a lot of fun these past few days… even on the bus! On the bus, we play games and eat some snacks. The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round. Coco’s new favorite find is Chipsters! Maja found some yum candy on Mont-Saint-Michel. Hannah and I had popsicles while on the mandatory bus stop. Anyways, while not on the bus, we have been exploring several different areas in the north. I adore how open and green everything is. Last night and this morning, we walked along the water in Cancale. They love fish there! Mont-Saint-Michel was crazy with the quicksand all around. The views were so pretty, and it was amazing to think that people actually built the town! Anyways, Saint Malo was very interesting and I loved walking along the wall. (Alexis)