09 juillet 2009

Today, we visited Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. Just before choosing which gallery to enter, you came across a beautiful garden of all types of flowers. The gallery I chose to enter was Grande Galerie de l'Evolution. 3 or 4 floors of ANIMALS! It was excellent. Although I was hoping for a timeline of how species came to be and the environmental changes that affected the evolution process of each one, it was nice to be reminded that we are not necesarily superior to any other creature on this earth. Visiting this museum really complemented the entire trip to Paris. So far we have seen man made beauty through architecture, through paintings, through sculptures, etc. Having thousands of different types of species in front of me was somewhat overwhelming because, especially in Brownsville, I seem to forget what beauties nature renders. In fact, man is just one other "miracle" mother earth has created! I am grateful for being reminded, though because it really does humbled me. It reminded me that we are all sharing this earth like we are, for example, the kitchen in the foyer where we are staying in Paris. We all need to put our part in order to maintain it! GO GREEN! :P

http://www.mnhn.fr/museum/foffice/transverse/transverse/accueil.xsp?cl=en

Nightlife

Being that most of us on this trip are between the ages of 18-21, we were all dying to know just how "cool" was nightlife in Paris. We spent our first Saturday night at Saint Michel. As we strolled the streets amongst large amounts of all types of people, we were able to see Notre Dame de Paris! Because we are an attractive group of girls, some of us got a warm welcoming to Paris that night ;) Very much like our mexican culture, there was bars after bars after bars, crepe stands almost everywhere you turned, and lots of people all having fun! The smells, the sounds, the sights, and especially the weather are all factors I can easily get used to. J'aime Paris!

By the way, I love the metro. Although it gets crowded and hot at times, the convenience of it is what I appreciate also walking the streets, watching people come and go, picking up a baguette on the way to the metro station. These all seem like small and insignificant things but are a great part of the Parisian culture. Most importantly, they are not a factors that make up our daily life in Brownsville. In reality, that is one of the main reasons why I chose to study abroad; to radically experience a new way of life and so far, SUPER good!

04juillet2009

From the beginning! Our first trip was to Tour Eiffel. There was an incredible amount of people but they all are here for the same reason. We all have an interest in the Parisian culture. It wasn't as intimidating to think we'd have to climb the stairs, until we got a lot closer than this (the picture). The Eiffel Tower is a lot taller than you can imagine but as tired as we were going up the stairs we didn't want to stop. All the girls, including myself, (oh! and Chris) were all excited to see Paris from up there. Once we were at the summit of the Tower all that was left to do was catch our breath. Not so much from the exaggerated amount of stairs, but from the exhilarating view! I have only been in Paris for a little over 24 hours and I'm already in love. Now that's love at first sight!

France independence day

The display of fireworks in the Eiffel Tower was something that surely none of us will forget. It was just an explosion of color right in fron of our eyes! Ofcourse before the big show, the waiting was ugh! like for 5 hours because so many people gather together for this spectacle it gets packed. At the end of the night I was stunned it was just like nothing i ever seen before well at least not as big as this. So far...J'adore Paris!

The Louvre

After two days in the Louvre musuem, we havent even cover half of the imense and intresting musuem. Pictures dont even make justice to the beuty of hte scene. Making great memories and friends among each other that will last a life time.

From: Prof. Suzanne LaLonde: Fête Nationale Française--14 juillet:

National holiday in France today, hence no classes, but rather a chance to observe French patriotism in the form of a two-hour long parade along the Champs Elysées and fireworks at the Tour Eiffel.
We have lived an intense ten days, learning French, practicing it in the dormitory with our new friends, and visiting cultural sites such as the Louvre, Versailles and the Panthéon.

Students have confessed that they've been so busy absorbing the sights and learning French, that they haven't had the time to post comments.
Still, they wanted to reassure readers that they’re having an enriching experience, indeed.

While at the Panthéon yesterday viewing Foucault's pendulum, we chanced upon this comment: "By perfecting eye-glass lenses, Galileo was able to perceive the wonders of the solar system and beyond." ...

Follow UTB/TSC students on their studies through Paris

Soon, 18 students will be landing in Paris, France and begin their studies of language and culture. Stay tuned to this blog to read about their expereinces over five weeks immersed in the French language and studying the heart of civilization.