A Weekend Full of Splendor and Grace

Quick recap.

Fri. Champs-Elysées with Tina from American University in Paris. We went to a café with random people she didn’t even know, drank some wine, had good inter-exchange student conversation. Then came more exchange student fun. Brittney (who I hung out on the plane ride with) and Chelsea (who lives in Brittney’s city) were in Paris, so we walked along the Champs-Elysées, talked, saw the Eiffel Tower, and talked some more. I love nothing more than talking to other exchange students, and I had plenty of that this weekend.

Sat. Went to the District Conference for Rotary and saw all the other exchange students I met the first weekend I was here (and hadn’t seen since) which was awesome. Again, talking to exchange students=amazing. We just kind of hung out all day and had to make a little presentation about our view of life in France etc. to the Rotary people. Then after me, Leo (the Brazilian in Paris) and two other girls (Monica and Rebecca, in case anyone is wondering) went to the Champs-Elysées (aka my third time since last Friday), spent lots of time waiting in line at a supermarket for them to buy hair products, then stood in line some more to get some mediocre food at the French impersonation of McDonald’s “Quick” and had a great conversation. After they left I went to a party with some kids from my school at this apartment with a beautiful view of Paris on Montmartre. There was some dancing to be had, and it was pretty fun minus the fact that Victor couldn’t come so I felt semi-awkward. I was really tired so I took off at 11:30. When almost home, 2 girls ran up right behind me and started talking to me, and then asked me if I wanted break French cultural stereotypes (or something to that effect) and come to a party with kids from their school. Knowing that this was extremely random and would probably not happen again, and in light of the fact that I only live once, I decided to go. They told me to tell everyone I was one of the girl’s “correspondent” which worked for a while until I was talking to someone and they asked me where I went to school, and I said Claire (my “correspondent”)’s school, to which she responded “so my school?” Probably half the people at the party thought I was her correspondent, and half knew that they just randomly met me on the street. Everyone was really nice (and uber rich) and I got some of their phone numbers so maybe I’ll actually see them again. But, it was probably the most random thing to have happened to me thus far, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Sun. Brittney and Chelsea were still in town, so I went and met them at the big department stores Printemps and Galeries Lafayette. Chelsea was shopping with another girl, and Brittney’s not really the shopping type so her and I had an amazing time talking and creating a little fun for ourselves in Galeries Lafayette by taking random pictures with mannequins, trying to price obscenely overpriced objects, stealing Christmas stickers from behind the unmanned gift wrap counter, and overall just having a grand ol’ time. So Brittney, if you’re reading this, which you probably will, thanks, I had an amazing time. After they left I went over to Paul (the Kiwi)’s house where we were having home group, as the couple whose house we usually have it at was in the middle of having a baby. After our discussion we went and had sushi, which I guess is the first time I’ve had real sushi apart from eating random California rolls as appetizers at graduation parties. Needless to say, I need to start eating sushi more often.

So basically my weekend was amazing, which made it all the harder to get up for school this morning. But alas, that’s life, and as Tina was telling me, school is going to suck either way so I just need to deal with it, and that school isn’t going to be the thing I look back and remember when this year is over, it’s going to be the weekend’s like this one that I’ll keep forever.

Brent