Happy Bastille Day, everybody! This day is celebrated everywhere in France on July 14th. It is a holiday comparable to our Independence Day here in the USA with fireworks, food and parades. On the 14th, the French commemorate the storming of the Bastille (a prison in Paris) back in 1789 by the French middle class who, hungry and sick of the corrupt ruling by the aristocracy, decided to take matters into their own hands. This began the French revolution and the phrase "Liberté! Egalité! Franternité!" I will be spending this holiday on a plane to Paris, but definitely plan on reflecting on French history during my 12+ hour trip. I am even bringing some French historical fiction that I checked out from the library today to really get into the mood.
Being a teacher is so wonderful in the summer! I have really enjoyed my time off since early June! My next three and a half weeks will be spent in France. I hope to detail some of my adventures there and maybe include some pictures this time! I am going with a group of 5 other French teachers, and our BYU professor. We will have some assignments to complete while in France for our masters credits, but mostly get to choose what we do from day to day. One of our biggest projects is to document French culture. This includes taking pictures of the day to day life of Parisians. We had to anticipate this by taking some pictures of Americans in order to compare and contract them with the pictures we will take in France. I got a few pictures of Americans, stuffing their face with Big Macs and Big Gulps. Stereotypical, I know. But you never see such huge portion sizes in France. I plan on putting these pictures next to ones of elegant French meals with several plates and small portion sizes. I also plan on taking pictures of fashion, outdoor markets, schools and college (La Sorbonne) for comparison.
My plan is to walk all over the city and see some of the places that I have yet to visit or forgotten. I have seen the Mona Lisa at least three times. I have had enough of the crowds around that tiny frame of bulletproof glass and Japanese tourists jumping up and down, snapping endless photos while pushing you out of the way. She looks better on google image, in all honesty. I might just skip the Louvre this time. Is that crazy to go to Paris and skip the Louvre?? Some places I am looking forward to visiting are Giverny (Monet's home), the Musée Pompidou (a unique modern art museum) and Parc Astérix (a Frenchmade theme park). We will be in Strasbourg for a week, part of France I have never visited and am excited for, and will be welcoming the Tour de France into Paris sometime later this month. I hear there will be lots of pickpockets there. I have my money belt and two zipped purses that I will carry tight under my arm. I feel prepared, though I have been pickpocketed twice in Paris. Twice! Can you believe it? Our security guy who spoke at our class last week said they target naive blondes on the metro. Both times it was on the metro and I was blonde!!!--once with my mom and once with some BYU students. I just plan on wiping the naive look off my face and I should be fine. I will try to find time to stop by some internet cafés every day or two to update this blog and check my email. Send me a message from time to time and let me know how you're doing.
Vive la France! I hope you are all out creating your own adventures, wherever you may be!
4 comments:
Wow...that about sums it up for me. You are hilarious. I hope that you have the best time in France. Your post makes it sound like you aren't blonde anymore. Are you? Also, good luck wiping the naive look off your face; I'm sorry Charlotte but that's just part of your personality it's hard wired. I'm a little disappointed in your stereotypical project. Why don't you find refined americans and slob french. That would be truly interesting. :) It's okay though I know you can't resist trying to make the french look good even though you've been pit pocketed how many times there? and how many times in the good ole U.S. of A? Anyway I'm glad that I found you blog. Have fun be safe.
You should consider a wig! It'd be perfect!
Don't worry about skipping the Louvre. Josh and I simply walked around outside it admiring the statues on the palace itself. And thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Rodin house and museum is pretty interesting, though. We enjoyed it, if you like Rodin.
Thanks for getting me up to speed on Bastille Day. I was listening to the radio in the car this morning and was wished a "Happy Bastille Day" by the DJ, but she didn't explain what it is. I guess I missed that one since it is in the summer, so we couldn't celebrate it in French class. Have a super fun trip and eat lots of yummy food for me!
Wow! what an adventure! I wish I was there watching all that you are doing. Being to the Louvre three times myself, I definitely would skip seeing it! I have a print of Mona Lisa about the same small size as the one that is surrounded by security, bells, and alarms and I find it to be just the same as the one being protected.
If you want to shed your naive self, put on a business suit, your hair in a stylish bun, and a slight sophisticated smile. That should scare away the would be pickpockets. Carry a very small purse and make your eyes look shifty. We don't want anymore cases of you looking like a stereotypical blond! Keep having fun. Annette
Post a Comment