Essex girl in Paris continues...

6 months!!! I have been living in Paris for 6 months! It seems so unreal, but the good sort of unreal. I am starting to realise how much I have done, and what I have achieved since I've been here and also how difficult it has been. 

I've managed to find an apartment, 2 jobs and many friends. I've visited a variety of places. Eaten and drunk alot! Had a shitty time and an incredible time. Begun to learn a language which six months ago I could say nothing and now I can have conversations. I'm probably more confident but definitely none the wiser!

Here are some pictures to show you some of my life in the past few months...

Difficult to see but this is me and 2 girls in the Galerie des Glaces  at the Chateau de Versaille. It is beautiful there and I really recommend going! It is the room used when the Treaty of Versailles was signed to end WW1 and also in the J'adore Dior advert with Charlize Theron.

Outside view from the Pompidou Centre. Interesting art and a back drop of the city!

The Eiffel Tower by Delaunay at the Pompidou

Me as 'art' at the Pompidou

Another Delaunay at the Pompidou

Eiffel Tower from Pompidou

Sculpture outside the Pompidou

From Pont Bir Hakeim

A street carnival near Nation in July - lots of noise, music, dancing and people!

Fun fair in the tuileries!

Me and my friend outside Odeon for Fete de la Musique - It's a free musical event all over the city where people fill the streets play music and drink! It is packed and I recommend attending one year. A city full of partying!

Cocktails were needed at Fete de la Musique!

Relaxing in the Luxembourg Gardens

An almost beautiful view... If only I could see where I work!

Luxembourg

Me and my friend in the Luxembourg

Sunbathing at Paris Plage!

Many people at Paris Plage and the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Great idea but not so good for relaxing!

Work aka Montparnasse Tower - The tallest and ugliest building in Paris!

Me at Paris Plage

The Arc de Triomphe on my way to work!

Night out with work colleagues!

Dancing and drinking at Tino Rossi by the Seine - Perfect

I had been drinking!

Crazy dancing man!

 So... there you go. A few pictures of the many things I have done so far in my little adventure. Who knows what the next 6 months will bring...?

Ron Mueck Exhibition

At the weekend I was invited to go and see an art exhibition near me so I was really excited. Not only did it mean meeting new people but I also love art, even if my judgement is completely emotional and I have no real knowledge about art. 

For example - I HATE Henri Matisses' 'Snail'. Correction - I HATE that it's so famous. It's a paper collage that's really big. It looks nothing like a snail (I realise that this is OK sometime). It looks like a 4 year old did a 'big art attack'... in the dark.

Anyway... Yes I like art and I had never hear of Ron Mueck (apparently he's famous and from London - who knew?) so I was eager to go and see what it was all about. It was at the Fondation Cartier on Boulevard Raspail in the 14th. The first time I walked past the building I was a little taken aback... There is a huge glass wall and behind it is a garden, then in the middle is a building where the exhibition was held. 

When we got there we queued for 1h45m! But on the plus side it gave me a chance to talk to my friend (I've now met her 3 times so for Paris that makes her a friend!) and meet her friends. I managed to catch on to most of the conversations they had in French and they spoke English as well. 

Exhibit Review -
I loved the exhibition! It's these out of proportion sculptures showing sometimes mundane things and sometimes odd things. The detail that goes into them is astonishing. The people are so lifelike but out of proportion. It's so interesting to look at. There is also a video showing how Mueck created some of the pieces in his North London studio. It was really fascinating. The program explained what each piece was conveying but I personally just like looking at art and seeing how it makes me feel and how pretty/interesting it is. I give this one a definite 9/10 for interesting and recommend seeing it if you are coming to or live in Paris. 

the website is - fondation.cartier.com

My program - the English version.

Me (on the right) and one of the sculptures. This one can be seen from the street but is incredible up close!

View from the street through the glass wall, across the garden and into the glass building.

Paris so far...

Bonjour! Ca va? Je vais bien!
(see my french is improving!)

I know it's been a while but I have been trying to sort out wifi, finish a course, find a job, start a job and make friends. So the blog has kind of taken a back-seat (don't worry I have a free morning and have sorted the wifi thing for this month). I've now lived in my Parisian flat for about 3/4 weeks and it's going very well. 

I finished my course, albeit with some drama! For the last week we (the students) were given a tough time about our organisation when in fact it was our tutors who were poorly organised and unable to communicate with each other. Safe to say we were not impressed and glad when the course finished. We decided to celebrate with beaucoup verre vin rouge!

The next day we had a BBQ organised by one of my course friends at his house, he invited some of the students we taught so there were many French people so had to try and keep up or wait for a translation! After I ended up going out with some people from the BBQ and meeting some American girls. They were the whiniest people ever! They drove me crazy!

After was the first properly warm day we have had so far so I went to a picnic in the jardin de tuilleries. I definitely recommend this although it was jam packed and hard to find a spot. 

Since then I have met people for drinks/lunches, started work and explored Paris some more. I still love it and like meeting new people. I'm actually off to an art exhibition today with a girl I met last week. I hope it's good!

My mum also visited last weekend but I'll save that for another post. 

My job hunt continues as, although I have one, it's not nearly enough money for me to live so I need another and fast! Have sent out applications and CV's over the past few days so fingers crossed!!

Here are a few pics I've taken recently, enjoy and comment with any pic requests you might have.
xxx

The Paris Marathon

View from one of the many ponts one very warm evening!

Spring is here!!!
Printemps est la!!!

What I'll miss when I'm in Paris

Here I thought I would add a list of things that I'll miss when I'm in Paris. It's only 4 days away now and it's starting to hit me that I'm actually leaving. This nervous/scared/excited feeling is not changing yet!!

Anyway, here goes:

• My family (for obvious reasons)
• My friends, for laughs, cocktails, gossip
• My fake nephew, he's just turned 2 and will miss him loads,
• London cocktail bars, especially happy hour in Grace bar,
• The national gallery, great for art and also a free clean toilet in the middle of London!
• The Tate, love the warhols, Lichtenstein & Delaunay there,
• Wandering along the southbank,
• Nights out with my sisters - catching u, drinks, laughing and gossip,
• Knowing where everything is and being able to speak and read the language

Of course there are loads of positives as well like discovering a new place, meeting new people, finding new cocktail bars and galleries and things to do. I'm too excited! Hoping to learn French as well and will try really hard. Wish me luck. Xx

Me and my friends enjoying my leaving cocktails.

View from the National Gallery overlooking Trafalgar Square

View from one of the bridges - Cloudy London

The White Tower at The Tower of London

Tower Bridge

Me and Mum

Me and my sisters

Me and my little sister doing Up at the O2

My sisters

Me and my little sister doing our very best gypsy wedding dancing!

Me and Dad

The Audrey Hepburn quote that proves I'm doing the right thing!