A small recount of times past

I am now officially a resident of the European Union. Rose and I had our OFFII appointments on Wednesday, December 14th. It was, as most things in France are, a bureaucratic circus. Our appointment was at 9:30am. We checked in, and sat for a half hour. Then we got called up and handed the woman at the front desk our passports, 55 euro STAMP, and the other necessary documents for our long stay visa. After that, we shifted to a different room and waited another 45 minutes. After that we were herded into a room, told to undress on the top and get an X-Ray of our lungs to prove that we were tuberculosis free. I had a nice conversation concerning my tattoos with the woman, thank goodness I'm comfortable with nudity. After that, we were asked to move to the waiting room again and waited another 40 minutes. Finally, the meeting ended with a quick discussion of my health history with a French doctor. At the end, I walked out a European Union resident! YAY!

I received my first visitor on Friday, December 16th. SELMA! :)

Selma told me that she was going to come and visit about a month into my stay  here and, to be honest, I didn't fully believe that she would follow through. I hear it all the time, "Yeah!! I want to come and visit!!" You know, I understand that the tickets are expensive and that it is a hassle to get off of work, etc... but I was reluctant to get too excited. Anyway, about a month ago, she messaged me and indicated that she was going to buy her ticket RIGHT THEN AND THERE! I was soooo excited.... so, flash forward.... 

I picked her up at Gare du Nord on Friday and it was a whirlwind next few days. We visited all of the essentials and had lots of fun. We went out on Saturday, so she got a taste of the Parisian nightlife. She fit right in with all of us. On Wednesday, she left to visit her family in Germany. She is coming back on Saturday to celebrate the new year with us. 

It is so nice to have a visitor. It makes me realize how much of the city I really know. I enjoy playing tour guide and seeing the visitor light up with each new discovery. So, the more the merrier PEOPLE! 

Christmas in Paris was also quite festive. I'm usually not that festive back home, but I think that that is something I will implement now back home. Jeff, Rose's really great friend, came to visit for the week/weekend. Jeff and Rose surprised the apartment with a mini Christmas tree and Eiffel Tower ornaments. We decorated the ornaments with glitter and then cut out snowflakes. Rhea made mini snowmen and we all decorated the tree together while listening to Christmas carols. 

My wonderful mother shipped my Christmas gifts along with Selma. Of course, I couldn't resist opening them until the actual day of Christmas. She's the most thoughtful woman that I know. She sent me an Eiffel Tower pendant, an adorable personalized apron, a bookmark, personalized plates, a new iPod and stockings for all of my roommates and me! :)

On Friday, Jeff, Rose and I went to the Chateau de Versailles... what an elegant palace. It was interesting and informative and just all around a great cultural experience. 

Our Christmas festivities were awesome. Saturday we made hors d'oeuvres and drank champagne. We had planned on going to the Eiffel Tower for some ice skating, but unfortunately all of the rinks were closed. So, we just walked around and watched the beautiful tower sparkle. After, we headed towards Notre Dame. Rhea and I had a mulled wine and watched people as they passed. We decided that we wanted to go to Notre Dame for midnight mass, but I didn't last. lol. It was still powerful and inspiring and beautiful to be in the cathedral on Christmas Eve. I Skyped my family when I got home and it was great to see their faces. 

Christmas day was spent drinking wine and champagne, laying in bed with my roommates watching movies and then cooking dinner. After dinner, we sang Christmas carols and then went to bed. 

This week has consisted of a small fruit and vegetable cleanse. As most of you know, I have a hard time resisting delicious food so this cleanse has been a really great attempt, but not an overall success. I have been working out though. So that's exciting! :) 

We don't have solid NYE plans yet, but we are for sure going to be heading to the Eiffel Tower for the countdown at midnight. We do plan on dressing up and going out on the town... I'm sure it'll be a fabulous way to ring in 2012! 

Happy NEW YEAR! 

Insomniac

Me, recently. It sucks. I honestly have no stress in my life, none that would require me to ruminate for hours before finally being able to fall asleep. I don’t know where it comes from. I have a comfortable bed… enough pillows, enough blankets and warmth. I drink bedtime tea, relax by watching a movie and do deep breathing exercises. Lights out by 11pm at the latest but I don’t finally fall asleep until several hours later. Tossing, turning, sighing, blah blah blah…  My story isn’t any different from many other people that deal with insomnia, but it doesn’t lessen its shitty affects on life. I dealt with it 4 times this week already…. I finally went to the pharmacy yesterday to get some type of sleep aid. They equipped me with something herbal that, honestly, didn’t help at all last night. I called my dad this morning (my time 7:00am, his time midnight). He was working. I requested that he send me Unisom or some other OTC sleep aid. I can’t go on living like a zombie for much longer. 

Because of this onset insomnia, coffee has become not only a pleasure, but an absolute must.

And for this, I have learned how to get creative. Starbucks is always a wonderful option, but unfortunately becoming a regular here in Paris does not seem very plausible. For numerous reasons. One… do you KNOW how many calories are actually IN a White Chocolate Mocha? Too many.  I have been logging my food/beverage intake on Livestrong.com and whoaaaaa, reality check when I entered in EVEN a SKINNY White Chocolate Mocha… that thing is absolutely jam-packed  full of sugar. I look at my calorie consumption the same way I look at my bank account. One must be strategic when deciding where and how to spend calories AND money. Unfortunately, you, delicious frothy sweet treat, are too expensive in both departments so our relationship must die a tragic death. Instead of White Chocolate Mochas, now, I have been sprinkling cinnamon into my coffee grounds before brewing them, and it hasn’t been completely terrible. It’s no Starbucks but it has been keeping me awake and keeping me regular... (hahahah)

the universe is hilarious

Another week has passed… and my finances are starting to rectify themselves thanks to mom and dad… they’re floating me a loan for 500 USD that I need to use sparingly until everything gets sorted out. I am also looking for a second job. I think I can handle it… I’m used to working almost full time and taking 15 credits back home… I feel like my lack of intense structure here is causing me to become lazier (is that a word? I don’t even know anymore!)

I do feel more exhausted, though, which leads me to my next little discussion… LE METRO. I LOATHE the metro. I think of it every time I am commuting… I have my anxiety mostly under control, except for when I take the metro, and it’s not even every time. It’s mostly during rush hour that drives me nuts. People are rude. People smell. People touch you. You have no personal space. They shove you. They step on your new boots. They sneeze without covering their mouths. They carry on conversations loudly without any discretion. Overall, in the words of Peter Griffin, the metro really grinds my gears. I am thinking that it takes years to sway with, to rock with, and to wave with the metro... and I just don’t have that type of time.  

Moving on… this weekend was nice; it was relaxing and tiring at the same time. Last week Tuesday I sustained a knee injury-maybe injury isn’t the right word-but I was definitely hobbling around like a gimp for 5 days, so the days of this weekend were spent watching motionempire.com movies and icing/heating my knee. Rose’s friend Brandon came to visit, so we showed him a good time this weekend. 

Sunday night I had a little meltdown. I was really missing home. The trigger was pulled Saturday morning as I was brushing my teeth. I suddenly remembered that I typically lunched and shopped with my mom on Saturdays, and that it had been months since our last excursion. At that point, it was a fleeting thought, but on Sunday it resurfaced with a vengeance. So, I cried alligator tears and had trouble sleeping that night. I’m better now. 

So, I’m sure some of you are wondering about my love life. I am single...evidently. Contrary to popular belief, French men are not prince charmings. I haven’t been wooed at all. I haven’t even been impressed. Ok, I lied. I did have a crush on one particular French guy named Antonin, but he turned out to be anything but a knight in shining armor. Ask me specifically for details, I won’t give the nitty gritty on here.  Overall, I’ve found that French men are not all that different from American men….although it is kind of bizarre to even make that assessment considering I became single only a month before my French departure. I guess I don’t have much to say about dating, because I haven’t done any.  Anyway, I’m really happy to be single and not at all interested in finding a boyfriend or love. I am soo happy to be selfish and worrying about my own happiness. I think this is the perfect time for me to be alone. 

I am a firm believer in love regardless of my current single status. I can’t wait to fall in love and be in love and love love. I love everything about love. I am all about self love at this moment. (On Myspace, I’d currently categorize myself as a little MORE to love, thanks to the sweets and wine here, F you France! (hahaha)) but, in all seriousness, I have been watching many romantic comedies and fully expect my next relationship to encompass each and every detail from one of those types of films! So, if you’re on the market for a girl like me you had better be in tip top prince charming condition…. 

Things that I am currently in love with include: Stereomood (an awesome website, check it out), Club Med Gym, cookies, tea, coffee, cinnamon, my roommates, my extended roommates, and my family…. Oh, and buttery popcorn.