Reflection and Remembrance | The Paris Attacks

It's been more than two weeks since I have posted, but there have been many more than two weeks' worth of developments here in Paris. As you will already have learned, on the 13th, Paris was victim to a series of terrorist attacks. Over 100 lives were lost, many more were affected in a way that it will take years to recover from. University can hold all the preparatory talks they want before you leave for your year abroad, but you will never be able to imagine what it is like to be abroad in a time of crisis unless you've experienced it first hand.
The 13th, for me, was a standard evening. I was feeling a little blue, so I decided not to join my friends for a night out. I was in my apartment, watching some trivial show on Netflix, and everything was totally status-quo. It was late when I received a message from a friend who studies at the Sorbonne with me, asking if I was ok. I had no idea what she was talking about. When she explained to me that there were people being held hostage just 3 miles from me, and that a café had been the target of a shooting, my blood ran cold. I opened a news page on my browser; I could hardly believe it. My friends were out, and I had no idea where they were, or if they were safe. Mother-hen instincts took over, and I called one of them to ask where they were, if they were safe, and to make sure they were staying inside. Thankfully, they were all fine - staying in one of their apartments together. I relaxed the tiniest bit. We were all safe, but it wasn't over. Paris Police department were warning everyone not to leave the house, the news pages were constantly updating with figures and statistics of how many were injured or killed. I watched the numbers topple into the hundreds. 
Before long, my phone exploded. Calls from friends in the UK who had seen the news; notifications from distant relatives on Facebook. I assured everyone I was safely locked in my apartment building, and got in contact with all of my immediate family to update them. The most bizarre part of all this was that Facebook asked me to check in as safe. I was less that 400 miles from home; I was in a country I'd been to many times, and that I would never even consider a dangerous place. And yet I needed to check in to let my friends and family know I was safe. Until that point, I'd only ever seen the Check In feature used for huge natural disasters - tsunamis, earthquakes, the like. Maybe I just hadn't been paying attention. I never thought I'd have to do it. I've seen that feature abused too many times; "Joe Bloggs who lives in your little home town has checked in as Safe during the Japanese Earthquake". Completely unnecessary, embarrassingly insensitive. So I asked myself whether I should check in - did I really need to? By this point, old friends and acquaintances were messaging me to check I was ok, so I decided to check in. I suppose it was possible something might have happened to me, but it still felt so unreal. 
It wasn't until this morning - Monday 16th - that it really hit me. The Sorbonne sent out an email to say that classes were cancelled that morning, as a ceremony was being held in memory of the three students the Sorbonne had lost in the attacks. Three. Three people that walked the same corridors as me, three people with homes and families, with lives and futures ahead of them had disappeared from this Earth as a result of what had happened. It's to these three students, and to the dozen of other victims and their families, that I'd like to pay a little remembrance. To Marion Lieffrig-Petard, to Kheireddine Sahbi, to Suzon Garrigues, to the many other victims, and to all friends and families. The atmosphere of solidarity that has arisen from these events is phenomenal. There is a very respectful mixture of tributes to the victims, and will to persevere. It has become a political statement to go for a drink on the terrasse of a café in Paris. A motto shines onto the Eiffel Tower, it reads "Fluctuat nec mergitur", "Tossed but not Sunk". Sites around Paris light up in tribute, and Parisians drink and laugh in perseverance, to remind us not that life goes on, but that they have not surrendered to this tragedy.

The Eiffel Tower is lit with the colours of the Tricolor

Siège la banque postale shows its solidarity

Homecoming

October break crept up on me pretty quickly. I won't say I want to leave Paris yet - I still feel like I'm just getting started there, but I have to admit I've been missing home a bit. Well, to be perfectly honest I've been missing having dogs in my life, and knowing that there are 9 little puppies at home wasn't helping. But I'm back, and it's puppies galore.

The puppies don't seem to understand shelves though. Or maybe they have a better understanding than us.

They've not grasped how the sofa works either. 

Needless to say, their Mum is absolutely knackered.  Aside from the small army of puppies, I also came back because my sister is graduating, for the second time. I'm incredibly proud to have a sister who not only has an Integrated Masters, but now also a PGCE. That's one big pair of boots to fill.

I used to be salty as the Pacific that she was so accomplished, and that I was constantly a step behind her. But now I'm old enough to see how lucky I am to have a role model and a best friend that is capable of anything she puts her mind to. 
But now it's back to La Vie Lumière, back to Uni and back to living without puppies. Sad times. On the plus side, the view from the plane was sensational.

Tourism time

The semester is in full swing now - we're in that relaxed period where we've settled in, but have no exams yet. Let's not call it the calm before the storm. I'm trying to work my way through the huge reading list I've got, and in the breaks between, I've taken on a part-time occupation as a professional tourist. 

The English Patient - second book on our Cinema list after Amadeus

Between sessions of relaxing reading with tea and a vanilla candle, I've made it my mission to see the biggest sights in Paris first. I've already ticked off the Eiffel Tower, so on to the rest of the list.

Back to the Louvre to look at some of the Renaissance pieces I've wanted to see.

A break outside the Notre Dame called for a little silhouette of one of my favourite Youtubers. Never mind  being inspired by such beautiful architecture to do great an incredible thing - YouTube it is.

Followed by a quick visit to Shakespeare & Co. (exterior only - going in was too dangerous for the bank account), and a view of the Pantheon on the way home.

Surviving Sign-Up at the Sorbonne

I'm finally signed up for all my classes. I kid you not, it took me over 2 weeks, and I must have walked about 15 miles to different offices to get it done, but it's done. Unfortunately, it's not like most UK Unis, where you just log in online and choose your courses. You have to consult physical catalogues of courses available, figure out which ones fit, which ones give you enough ECTs (the equivalent of credits), and then you have to fill in forms and take them to the respective departments. I'm now realising that I sound like a whiney millennial, "Why can't I do it online?" But honestly, it would make life a lot easier.
Anyhow, here are a couple of things I'd tell myself a few weeks ago if I had the chance, which would have made the whole process easier.
***
Spot the difficulty
First step is choosing your courses. There are a few things you need to look out for when you are picking your classes, and finding these things first will let you skip the awkward "Oh crap, that doesn't work, now I have to do it all again" phase. Firstly, make sure your classes don't clash - that goes without saying. None of us are Hermione, we don't have time turners, and we can't be in two places at once, so make sure your classes aren't at the same time. Secondly, take account of which campus your classes are on. I signed up for two classes which were one after the other, and found out that the second one was on a campus which was 40 minutes away by metro. Not ideal. None of us can teleport either, so make sure you have time to get to your classes. Finally, check the assessment type. If you struggle with exams, try not to take courses which have a heavy set of exams; if you're bad at coursework, do the opposite. 
Cater to you
It's not always possible to sign up just for classes you think you will enjoy, because they might clash. That said, try and find as many classes that fit into your timetable that you will actually enjoy. Studying in a new language is hard enough as it is; you don't need the added annoyance of being bored in every single class you go to. It makes it harder to concentrate, harder to revise, and harder to pass. If you've centred your degree at home around Culture, and you enjoy it, then do the same abroad. If you've focused it on Linguistics or Translation, do the same. 
Plan ahead Chances are, you're going to need to go across a few campuses or at least a few different buildings to get your sign-up completed. I had to go to two different campuses over the course of 2 weeks, and see 5 or 6 different people before I got mine done. This is especially true if you're studying two languages, and need to sign up for classes in the language you aren't working on at the moment. For example, I study French and German, so in Paris, I had to sign up for a German course to keep my level of German up. The trick is to plan ahead - make sure you know the office hours of the people you need to see, where they are, and how to get there. It's not fun turning up to an office that is already closed, or knowing who you need to see but not know how to get to them. Before you leave to get your forms signed, sealed and delivered, make sure you've planned your trip.
Don't overload yourself Make sure that you have at least a quick glance at the reading for each course you sign up for. I wasn't wise enough to do this before I signed up, and now realise I've got a hefty list of about 12 books to read this semester. If you're a fast or keen reader, no problem. If you're not, big problem. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
***
I'm sure there are other things that other students would add to the list, but at least if you follow this advice you'll save yourself some hassle!

Paris vs Puppies

You read that right. Puppies. My dog at home has just had a litter of 9 adorable baby clouds, and I'm not at home to smother them with cuddles. Heartbreaking. I love Paris, but I hate that I'm not there right now, and have to live through the experience via FaceTime and Snapchat pictures.

Turns out they're actually tiny otters

Confessions of a Culture Vulture

The first week of Uni is always slow. It's even slower when you understand nothing that anyone says. Thankfully, French universities don't seem to set homework for classes, so I don't suppose it matters that I'm confused until the exams. What a horrible thought. 
Anyway, I've spent most of my spare time running through bookshops trying to find the hundred and ten french books, and the five or six english ones I have to read this semester. 

Warning, this book might kill! - Found in Boulinier, Boulevard St Michel

Aside from hiding in bookshops, I've not done much apart from skulk around Paris and find quirky little cultural things, which is great. Cars were the first cute find.

And then a little bit of René Magritte. 

Not sure if that one was a clever pun or cheeky graffiti.

Back to School

Usually the start of the year makes me want to throw myself out of a window. This year is only slightly different. Enrolling for classes at the Sorbonne has already been a massive pain, and I've not even done it properly yet. Don't get me wrong, we tried - we followed the instructions, chose classes, filled in paperwork, the lot. But as it turns out, half the classes clash or are in completely opposite ends of the city, and the other half are boring beyond compare.
Having said that, we have been to a few classes so far. The first day was a bit of a nightmare: we ended up having a four-hour gap between classes. In any other city, it would have been the choice between a mind-numbing library visit or a trip home and back. Luckily, there's more to do in Paris.
We popped up to the Latin Quarter to find a place to get lunch first. We strolled around for a bit trying to find a French place - we figured we should be eating french food given where we were. Naturally we ended up going for Burritos. 

Chido Mexican Street Food - Rue Mouffetard 

Despite giving in to the mouth-watering temptation of Mexican food, we actually thought this was a good find. The food is dead cheap, absolutely delicious, and it's a quiet place too. Definitely recommend. 
Full to bursting point and feeling lazy after the first class of the semester, we had to figure out what to do with the left over three hours before our next lesson.

Ceiling of the Pantheon - this quickly became my desktop background

The decision was made to pop to the Pantheon. I won't lie to you, I don't really know what it is. What I do know is that a lot of France's most prominent figures are buried in the crypt beneath it - Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Voltaire, the list goes on. Quite a creepy place to be honest, but interesting. Unfortunately for us, in the middle of this huge tomb, full of France's most respected people, we got caught by uncontrollable giggling. Definitely not the appropriate time or place.

I didn't sign up for this

So, it's time to sign up for classes. We had a (relatively useless) talk at the University, and I met Sonia, who goes to my Uni at home, but who I've never really talked to before (who knows why, she's fab). We decided to grab lunch after the talk and try and figure out how to sign up for classes. Spoiler alert, it's impossible. If you're headed on a future year abroad, prepare to be baffled for a while, followed by a long period of confusion, before you decide to just write down what your friend did and hope for the best.

In other news, I'm really starting to love this little things about living here. I've lived in a city before, and I've lived in the arse-end of nowhere too, but this is a completely different breed of place. Even the bog-standard view from my window makes me happy.

La Vie Flaneuse

One week on, and I'm still not a student yet. Classes don't start until the 21st, so I've got plenty of spare time. And so begins the sightseeing (I'm allowed to be a tourist until I have actual responsibilities).
In the desperate search for friends that every fresher encounters, I posted on an Erasmus Facebook page, and met a great girl from Norway. We decided to meet up and wander around, and the result, of course, was a whole load of pretty photos. 

We started off at the Eiffel Tower, of course. After sitting on the grass on the Champ de Mars for a while, we moved on to the lesser known parts of Paris.

Ok, when I said lesser known, I may have been stretching the truth. Our next stop was the Louvre. As we were on a self-made walking tour, we didn't go inside (we've both been in before), but the pyramids are a great photo op when you're on a slow walk.

We walked back along the Seine, and without a doubt, I have never enjoyed walking home more. Paris at the moment is in the blissful suspension between Summer and Autumn; the leaves are turning those warm colours, but the sky is still clear blue and the sun is still red hot. What a time to be alive.

10 Things I’ve learnt during my first two weeks in Paris

1. Paris is beautiful.
I mean that one was obvious, no surprise here. 

2. If you want to do anything official in France (open a bank account, set up a SIM card), you’ll need a lot of paperwork.
Passports, attestation d’assurance, student cards, EHIC cards etc. - you need all of it or you’ll get a blank stare from a French employee.

3. Woody Allen was wrong -
Paris is not more beautiful when it rains.

4. The Euro is absolutely not worth the same amount as the Pound.
When you go shopping you don’t need to drop your jaw because you spent 20 euros in Monoprix on what seemed like a small shop - that’s actually less than £15.

5. French water is not pleasant to drink.
It’s clean, and safe to drink, it’s just not nice to drink.

6. This is not like England - everywhere is closed on a Sunday.
Some sparse grocery stores are open, and businesses in massively touristy areas are open, but your local supermarket might be closed.

7. There is an air raid siren that goes off every 1st Wednesday of the month in Paris.
It’s a WW2 air raid siren that they have maintained in the event of nuclear war. Unsettling if you don’t know what it is! (Yes, I did learn the hard way)

8. French Universities are on the same organisational level as Ron Swanson -
0/10. They will schedule an “orientation” talk. They will give you no information. You will have to stand outside of an office for three weeks before you know where you are meant to be.

9. A) There is a lot of pressure on year abroad to make loads of new friends 

and socialize all day every day, but if you need some alone time to recharge, don’t beat yourself up about it. Watch some Netflix. Go for a walk. Whatever.

B) But it is pretty nice to make a couple of friends 

who you can talk to if you need to. Being alone in a new country is some scary shit, it’s nice to have people there for you if you need them.

10. The Eiffel Tower is just scaffolding. 

This is a confirmed fact. There are a lot of prettier things in Paris.

Paris est une fête

As you may know from an earlier post, this academic year is the start of my Year Abroad: 5 months in France, and 6 in Germany. This week, I started the journey. Paris is my new home for five months, and it's terrifying. Scary as it might be to move across the channel - to a place I don't know, with people I've never met and a language I hardly speak - it's also exciting to think that this is going to be a chapter in my life I will never forget. How many people can say, "I lived in Paris"? How many can say that they walked along the Seine on their days off; that their classroom is literally 500 meters from the Notre Dame? Not many.  So I'm turning my cheek on the anxiety I'm feeling, and planning a great 5 months in a great city, hopefully with great people and great experiences. It's been a bizarre week, but a great one already. I'm not in class yet, so I've got a whole load of free time to wander around the city and get a feel for the area.  My first mission was to figure out the route to Uni, so I set off on what turned out to be one of the most scenic strolls of my life to date. 

Jardin du Luxembourg

Rue du Vaugirard

At this point, it was starting to feel like I was living in a very realistic dream. By the time I got to the University, I was pretty sure this was an Inception moment, because this is what the Sorbonne building looks like.

Université Sorbonne Paris IV

The Instagrammer's dream. I have no idea what it will be like going to the actual classes, or if I will even survive the French language, but it's safe to say that I'm living in a fairytale at the moment.

Have we met? | John Wick Review

Thanks to Cineworld Unlimited, last night I was afforded a viewing of Keanu Reeves’ new film, John Wick, a week before the box office opens. The movie poster - Reeves with smoking guns in both hands, and a black suit reminiscent of his matrix days - was promising. But I hadn’t seen any sign of this film in movie theatres yet; no preview, no trailer, no trace. I didn’t know what to expect. And yet somehow, this film was not what I expected. 

The first twenty minutes were extremely calm; even sombre. We meet John Wick, a normal guy, who has just lost his wife to a mystery illness. Anyone with a soft-centred heart is roped in when a tiny puppy, a gift from Wick’s late wife, arrives on his doorstep. We’re reminded of PS I Love You. We see a grieving man getting used to Daisy, a puppy he wasn’t expecting, but probably needed. We’re attached. To them both. 

So heart strings are sufficiently pulled. But don’t be fooled - the atmosphere quickly changes. In a gas-station exchange, we meet Josef (played by Alfie Allen with an impressive russian accent), and the tension in the film is revealed. What is that tension? Wick’s car. Anti-climax? I thought so. At this point I can’t tell who the target audience is - the puppy-loving softie or the car-crazed lad. Give it a few scenes, and we find out exactly what is going on here. 

Brace yourselves, you’re not only about to hear a (very mild) spoiler, but you’re likely going to be a little disturbed. We’re in Wick’s apartment in the middle of the night. Daisy is awake. Wick pulls himself out of bed to let his new puppy out. But, of course, as he trudges down the stairs, he discovers that three Assassin’s Creed-style cloaked figures are waiting for him in his living room. No doubt, a flawlessly choreographed fight scene follows, and Wick is floored. Daisy is crying. A figure is unhooded. It’s Josef, here to claim Wick’s car. Dramatic, right? But what follows is one of the most unnecessary sources of revenge film has ever seen. Josef, tired of the puppy’s yelping and presumably devoid of any human sentiment, utters the words “Shut that dog up”. I don’t need to share gorey details for you to understand what’s happened here. Wick wakes up an indefinite amount of time later, shares a traumatic scene with Daisy - now heart-breakingly lifeless - and finds that his car is gone too. In true Hollywood style, Wick’s fuse is lit, and he spends the rest of his screen time on a revenge-fuelled, murderous rampage in search of Josef.

I’ll admit it, I’m a dog lover - I would die for my black labs, and that’s probably why I felt like this scene was so unnecessary. But animal cruelty aside, I still have a problem with this film. 

Let’s break it down to its basics. 

1. A guy who wants revenge 
2. Fast cars 
3. The Russian Mob 
4. Guns 
5. Men 
6. Bourbon 

It’s everything we’ve seen before, crammed into one film. Don’t get me wrong, it will entertain, but in every scene you’ll find yourself thinking, “Hey, that’s just like (any other fast-car mafia movie)”. The cars are fast, Wick is furious, I am experiencing déjà vu. 

What’s worse is that this movie is crammed full of men. Sure, I sound like a broken record, but it’s absolutely true. There is one woman of note in the entire film, and she is cast as a modern femme fatale - she’s a hot, heeled, hired assassin. The character is an unbearable cliché. If you grasp at straws, there are two other females in the movie… one - Wick’s wife - dies before the film starts, and the other - Daisy - is introduced just to be killed off. So we’re looking at a film where we’re resorting to female dogs to find the women. 

Like I said, this film will keep you entertained for a couple of hours. It’s fast, it’s familiar, and it’s featuring Reeves. But it’s nothing new, it’s textbook, and it’s shamefully male-orientated. All I can really conclude is that this is a man’s movie, and I'm no man. 

The Formidable French | #4

There's no way that any list of stunning French people could be compiled without including the original sex kitten, notre BB. So here she is, in all her glory.

Brigitte Bardot was born in Paris in 1934, and quickly rose to fame thanks to her striking features. She became one of the world's first "sex-kittens": women whose beauty is based in their teenage image. She played a lot of controversial roles, including a role in And God Created Woman - which was heralded by feminists. In fact, she's stirred quite a storm in feminist theory, and was the subject of Simone de Beauvoir's essay The Lolita Syndrome, which discusses teenage girls as sexual objects, and the culture of abuse. 

Aside from the Lolita aesthetic, she brought that gorgeous deliberately-messy style to the world: a mix between wind-swept and perfectly styled hair which we all strive for.
Bardot knew that her capitol was her body, and her roles exploited it. Jean Luc Godard's cast her in Le Mépris as a critique of exactly this - the star body. The problem, though, with depending on your youthful beauty for your career is that, of course, it's finite. As Bardot's looks began to fade, she turned her hand to animal rights activism, and all but disappeared from the silver screen.