Toussaint Goals

It's now the holidays, and high time I looked forward to what next term is going to be like. It's nearly two months since I arrived in Paris and I've had a brilliant time - but I've got so much more to learn! Here are my new goals:

After trying macarons, loving them, and nearly spitting them back out on seeing the ridiculous price tag, I think I'd like to give this notoriously difficult recipe a go myself! Crossed off the list is finding a gem of a local shop, which I've happily discovered in 'Da Rocco', an Italian deli in the 7th. Apart from their delicious take away foods such as pizzas and focaccia, they do the cannoli that I waxed lyrical about in this post, back in Rome. The icing sugar on the cannoli (haw haw) are the cheerful owners who wave at me as I walk by. It was made to be!




Crossed off my list are the visit to Les Deux Magots (see my post here, and a concert (remember Olly Murs here?)  

Added are a visit to the Île St. Louis - one of two remaining natural islands perched in the Seine (the other being the famous Île de la Cite, home to Nôtre Dame, and Disney Land - a bit of a pipe dream but a girl can dream!

I've gone far past answering simple questions in class (although this is still terrifying!), and have now taken my first test. Over the holidays I face the task of writing a commentaire – certainly a big challenge! Eek – wish me luck.

À Bientôt !

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New Lessons, New Goals

An update on things to achieve as I start lessons at The Sorbonne. Let's see how many I'll have crossed off in a few weeks' time! 

À Bientôt !

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Week Two Fun

I have now been in Paris for two weeks and three days, & thought it was high time for an update on the optimistic list of goals I set myself. Somehow without trying too much, I had managed to check off more than I had realised! It must be living in this amazing city where there are treasures to discover on the coin de chaque rue !

A Cultural Festival / Event - Check!

Last weekend, on the 14th and 15th September, Paris held a brilliant event called the 'Journee du Patrimoine'. Paris' offices, embassies, museums and government buildings are opened to the public, for free or a reduced rate. I eagerly sent off a list to my friends - including The Elysee Palace and the Observatoire. At 3pm, waiting outside a Metro station & engaged in a chat with a friendly policeman, he told me that the queue to see Monsieur Le President's office was 4 hours long & we should have begun queueing at 6.00am! Instead, we aimlessly wandered up the Champs-Elysees & joined the queue for The Lido, Paris' famous Cabaret. Not knowing what to expect, The Lido was slightly insalubrious, very glitzy & glamorous. A show with dinner is several hundred euros, so this was the only time I'd set foot inside.

It was not the most culturally inspiring moment I'll admit, and I would have rather gone to the Elysee Palace. But seeing the costumes was fun & it was very Moulin Rouge. An experience to be sure!

Church, cinema & swimming pool - check! 

If you are looking for a church, I can't recommend enough 'Paris-Nation' and 'Paris-Villiers'. I spoke lots of French & had the warmest welcome! I've already spoken about the swimming pool - check out my post 'Dipping my Toes'. The less said the better about 'Tirez la langue, mademoiselle', a thoroughly underwhelming film...nonetheless if you're interested, here's the trailer:

Still to achieve are the more profound goals like feeling right at home. Sadly I seem to be more often the brunt of jokes rather than cracking them myself! I still feel like this (all credit to the brilliant Humans of New York Blog):

New goals to set & achieve soon, classes start on Monday - lots to do!

À Bientôt !

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Setting My Sights

Before I hop across la Manche to begin my adventure, I decided to write a list of goals to get me out of my little Paris garret in the first few weeks & into the heart of Paris. Some are easy - like swimming which is just to hopefully kick start some kind of exercise routine, some are longer term & more wishful like making lifelong friends or becoming a little bit more fluent in French.

The idea came from my Mum who wrote a list of "50 things to do" now that she is 50 *cough* 25 years old (sorry Mum!) as a way to keep excited about life, challenging herself and discovering new things.  

As I tick one of the list I plan to add another on to make the most of my time à Paris!

So here goes :)

When the temptation to hide out in my room is strongest, I'll remind myself I have "all" the sites to visit...with some words of wisdom from Le Petit Prince:

"J'ai des amis à découvrir et beaucoup de choses à connaître"
-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

À bientôt !

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