puis-je faire un pause?

Seriously!

My continuously hectic/busy/exhausting lifestyle has followed me from Los Angeles and Wellesley all the way to France. Thanks to the lively city of Paris, the programs Sweet Briar arranges for us, the hectic task of picking our classes and getting ready for the Parisian universities, and, don't forget, the fact that my dad is here and is constantly introducing me to his friends--- I'M ALWAYS BUSY! c'est la vie, I know, but I was really hoping French life would be more relaxed than this. Apparently not.

I haven't had time, therefore, to make a video, but I've been shooting a lot of random clips, and I hope to have time sometime this week. In a (brief) nutshell, here's my life:

• family/living situation: living with a SWEET Jewish couple in the 11th arrondissement, which is a nice mix of modern and ancient Paris. I have a large room with a TV and my own toilet. The couple lets me do whatever I want. I live within a 10 minute walk of some cool places and within a half hour walk of the center of Paris. though often I take the metro.
  
• university: what. the. hell. So here's a brief history of Parisian universities and my particular university. In 1968 there was a HUGE student riot. In able to never ever have this happen again, Parisian universities were split up alllllll over Paris. I had thought that Paris 7, where I'm studying, was in the Latin Quarter... well, it was. One day, someone discovered asbestos there. SO the building was torn down and is in the process of being reconstructed. In the meantime, classes are in the ugliest buildings in Paris, in the ultra-moden (read: gross) section of the 13th. I commented to someone "It looks like someone just said Quick! Build a university! It doesn't matter what it looks like, just take this concrete and hurry!" and received the response "well, that was actually exactly the case. They discovered asbestos and had to relocate the campus quickly." Oops. Well, I'd rather ugly concrete than asbestos.
• Life: Too American for my tastes. I need to make some French friends my age, and fast. My dad has been introducing me to all his friends, which takes up all my time and annoys me to no end. They're very nice people and I'm very happy to have them in my life but ohmygoodness I am NOT in Paris to sit in people's homes for 8 hours a day and do nothing but eat! Especially not when it's this beautiful outside... But I love my Daddy and I'm happy he's here. He leaves Thursday, so I just have to make it until then.

In other news, I start my classes on Tuesday. Hence, I will be even busier. But what else is new. ha.

video to come eventually, I promise. I've been up to fun things :)