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StarryNiteSky
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Name: christine
Birthday: 3/27/1987
Gender: Female
Interests: sports like basketball, gymming, random stuff, the ARTS, music, the outdoors, magazines, sketching, sleeping, shopping, vegging out, having fun, joking around, laughing, exploring philosophical views and deep ponderings, trying new things (with exceptions) :D
Expertise: Wouldn't YOU want to know what I'm GOOD at
Occupation: Student
Industry: Entertainment
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
AIM:  naturezzephyr
Member Since:
2/19/2003
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| Does anyone read this anymore?
It must be a record...I haven't written in here for like two months, but in that short time, I feel that life has changed a lot for me. Post-Paris, I didn't think that would be possible. I thought I already went through a lot abroad, but being back I have been able to grow in other ways. And that fact makes me happy. I don't want to stop growing, stop learning new things, or stop discovering more about the world. There is so much I still don't know! Things really have been crazy for me lately...been interesting to say the least. It just feels like when things decide to happen to me, they happen all at once. As they say, "when it rains, it pours..."
Prepping for mcat, getting ready to apply to med school, school itself, work...it's always been the same ol' routine day in and day out. However, it feels different now. As if what I'm doing has more purpose and meaning. Maybe it's because the possibilities are getting closer and my future has never felt so within my reach. Maybe it's senioritis. I remember walking back to my apartment the other day, and even though I was weighed down with so much work to do, with so many worries on my mind, my shoulders aching from the stress, I found myself happy...and looking up. For the longest time, I couldn't find that peace with myself, but now it seems I can finally breathe. I can live. And love. And that's all that matters.
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| I feel bad leaving the end of my Parisian experience just hanging there. I realized I haven't written in here for a month, and especially since I've been back in California now for two weeks, I should update. But really, there's just so much to say. Where do I begin? Friends have asked me about my four months abroad. During Christmas, I was welcomed back with the warm greetings of my many, many relatives, each asking "How was Paris?" How do I answer that question? Sometimes they ask "How does it feel to be back?" I'd say being back has been interesting. Everything feels the same. Home didn't change. But my thoughts have...how I think about things...see things...
I thought having two weeks to organize myself and get myself adjusted again would allow me to find the right words. But, I still have trouble expressing myself. For some reason, when I say, "It was an incredible experience." it just doesn't seem to do Paris enough justice. It was much more than a place...
"The real thing about traveling isn't seeing new people and places, but seeing them in new eyes."-anonymous
After my return, I've been keeping a personal journal that I write in almost every day, mostly about changes, differences, and things I notice between cultures...more insights, impressions, and ideas that come to mind...
I'd say if you want to know the good details of my trip, you'd have to ask me in person. I'd be more than happy to relay them as best as I can. You will like some of the stories I have to tell. Some are pretty juicy. I'm actually afraid that I will annoy people with my "Well, in Paris, this..." and "Paris that" LOL. My family has been pretty patient with my constant blabberings. I know not a lot of people will keep on wanting to hear about it over and over, constantly the main topic of discussion. I understand. It's cool the first time and pat on the back, good for me, but life moves on.
I already miss a lot of things, speaking French being one of them. I won't bore you with what else. I'll end here, because it's 2 in the morning and I can't sleep because some things are on my mind. But it's okay. I should go to bed though because my family wants dim sum tomorrow (or actually today now) morning. For those of you who read this thing, I'll hopefully see or talk to you later. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that your New Years will be fantastical!
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| OooOOoooo. Ponderous thoughts.
Yesterday, my friend went to Resto-U, this university restaurant/cafeteria for students (we go there one or twice a week for a pretty decent and filling meal at 2.85 euro). It was like any other day. We were almost finished...me about to eat my apple...my friend eating her cheese with bread. Then these two middle-aged people who were sitting next to us asked us, in english, if we were students or something. We finally got to talking to them, and found out they were French, and were in the sciences doing research (I guessed they were faculty/professors as well, considering they were eating there). It was so cool, they were both ethnically from Iran I think, and the lady said her daughter lived close to UCLA in the Beverly/Bel-Air area working at some research institute...I think. I forgot what she did though. The guy did research in oncology. We told them we were actually both students of science, but were studying in France for the culture, history, and language. Then I tried to speak French with them. He corrected me right away. LOL. Anyways, I thought it was neat how we ended sitting next to them. I thought they might have been a couple at first, or maybe colleagues, and the guy had asked me to pass the water when he had sat down next to us. Little did I know. What if he's actually famous? Then they had to leave, but he still had his mini baguette that he hadn't touched, and asked if my friend wanted more bread for her cheese. He broke it in half and gave her some, and then his lady friend kind of hinted to him that he should offer the second half to me. I didn't really need it, but accepted anyway. Now I can say we broke bread with French scientists. Yay. :]
Also...speaking of science, I signed up for a psychology research experiment in language acquisition. I heard about it through one the faculty members here. For compensation, I get a book for 5 euro. I'm aiming for the 5 euro. :D
Interesting how all this science just hits me during my last weeks. Makes me miss it...ahhh.
In other news, clubbing/partying all this weekend. It is going to be intense. Got to live it up a little before finals and going back home! Moooore updates later. A bientot!
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| It's been more than one month since I've written in here, and needless to say, A LOT has happened since then: trips to Italy, Barcelona, and London...I saw Kanye in concert, finals and papers (which partly explains the beginning of why I stopped writing for awhile) and daily, everyday random but interesting happenings, but...I probably won't write about those until later (hopefully). Only three weeks remain of my stay here in Paris, and I, along with many others, find ourselves in a mixed state of emotions. There's home! But then there's Paris! The word just explains it all. I'm just going to try to enjoy the rest of my stay here, and soak up as much as I can before I leave. It kind of scares me, but I can just already imagine myself getting back home, dragging my suitcases which weigh a ton each into the house, and passing out in my bed from jetlag even though it's the early afternoon. AND THEN...I can see myself waking up that night, in the old familiarity of my cozy room with its familiar smells...with the familiar noises coming from downstairs. And then I'll just think to myself, "Was this all a dream?"
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Yesterday, which was Sunday, it snowed. I saw the first flakes of snow in Paris and it was amazing. Around noon, I left the house to meet up with a friend for a crepe before going to the library. I didn't notice at first, but then I began to see these little white flecks floating gently down. Walking down the street, I suddenly noticed how all the trees were bare...only a week or so ago it seemed as if the trees were still colorful with the orange leaves of autumn. It felt like a cold gust of wind came by and robbed the trees completely of their dry leaves, leaving the naked grey, brown branches, which stood out like a million twigs against the Paris streets. Someone earlier in the week said it was going to snow during the weekend, to which we all, in a tone of disbelief yet amazement, exclaimed "Really??" Yes, really. When we finally got to the library, it started snowing a bit harder, and it almost seemed like snow globe madness. Though it wasn't enough snow to cover the ground. The snowflakes basically landed and melted into the ground...our coats...or our hair. Even so, the sight of it all was miraculous. Mind you, I'm pretty much a noob when it comes to snow. Never lived in the mountains or any areas that snowed regularly, and don't visit the mountains to snowboard or ski. So there you have it. Another thing: It was FREEZING. I remember the night before walking back and just thinking how cold and ICY it was. It was as if the weather was ushering in winter and its first snowfall. Before the library, we ate crepes, and I ordered a ham and cheese one. To give an example, it was so cold that the oil that dripped into the folds of the wrap that held my crepe, literally froze. It was kind of gross. The oil became a solid...in less than a fifteen minute interval. I figured it out because I thought it was cheese stuck on the wrap, but when I put it in my mouth, it melted automatically. Waiting in line outside the Pompidou library was such a pain (the wait was almost an hour - only in France), and it was relentlessly cold. In fact, this is when it stopped snowing and began to rain instead. That was the end of the brief experience of snowfall I had. During all this, a chick also cut in front of us in line..trying to be subtle, avoiding eye contact and listening to her iPod...psh.
Anyways, I was talking to my friend, noticing the vapors of air puffing out of our mouths each time we spoke. It felt like New York, if this is how New York is in the winter. Being here makes me want to go to New York, in a sense the "Paris" of the the United States, with its own sense of chic, culture, and entertainment. I've only visited NYC for a day or two, but it wasn't enough to really soak in and enjoy the city. I want to go back (this time, NOT with a tour group).Maybe I'll live there awhile or do grad school there. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. Where was I? Oh yes, it was cold. I had all these layers on and I was warm just enough to not freeze my butt off. I had no gloves, so my hands were the first to go. I imagined my hands being so cold that if I were to reach into the nape of someone's warm neck, they would scream like they got the heeby jeebies. My friend and I also talked about the snowflakes. I have to quote my friend on this, but she said, "In socal, if we see flakes, it's like oh crap, it's ashes." Kinda funny but not, considering the fires that have destroyed so many homes recently. :\
Ahhhh my mind's a jumble and I have papers to write. Again. So I shall continue later.
A bientot!
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| This will be a quick update. I know right? Only so much can happen during one night that requires an immediate update such as this. ;P
So me and a bunch of friends decide to meet up at Club Mix, right next to the Montparnasse tower. It was an international Erasmus party night where only students are admitted. And there was no cover charge before midnight! I looked up the Erasmus members, and it seems that Americans are the minority, with French, Spanish, Germans, and Italians with the most numbers. Anyways, I didn't want to preparty at my friend's dorm because I lived closer to the club, and would have wasted time going farther away then coming back. I buy my own liquor to bring with me to the club. One thing I love about France is being able to blatantly drink in public. It's awesome...people carrying around whiskey bottles with no shame. Though I think many still opt to carry around a "water bottle" of goods.
We all plan arrive separately, and even though I arrived a little later than we were supposed to, I still ended up being the only one there! There was no need to worry because there was already crowds of people there standing about, waiting around outside. The club just opened at 11pm. I stood by myself off to the side, took out my phone to give off the appearance of being "occupied," and called a couple people to see where they were at. Then, I knew it was coming, this guy comes up to me and asks me something like three times, each time which I did not understand. And then he asks if I'm Italian. WOW, that's a first. I talk to him for a bit, wondering where the hell my friends were. He asks if I'm going to go into the club, if I'm here by myself, to which I respond that I'm waiting for my friends. Then my friend saves me by calling me to tell me she's there, and I step aside to greet her in great relief. From the corner of my eye, I can still see that guy and his friends still lounging about off to the side. While we're talking, his OTHER friend comes up and asks us if we are going to go in soon. I'm like, no I'm still waiting for my friends. So anyways, the others arrive and we finish up our drinks before going in. I don't know what happened to those shady guys, but I think we lost them in the rush of the crowd at the door. OMG, I love that place! I had so much fun. We get to wear "flag tags", stickers that have our country's flag and name on it (though you don't have to if you don't want to, and there were a significant number of people who didn't wear them) I think me and my friends were the only ones I saw that night sporting American flags. Actually, I met one other American, next to the bathrooms. And we was an arrogant, stuck-up fool, bragging about living on every continent. He then made fun of my school, the entire UC system, because we're on an extension program in France, and not really attending a real university. He thought he was so cool because he probably went to some university in England...and looked down on us. He also talked about how his ex was Chinese and how people should never date Chinese girls, and then how Chinese parents are very demanding of their children and want them to become doctors and lawyers. He was basically being an ignorant and racist pig. Then, I told him I was premed but that it was a choice I made myself, regardless of what my parents thought. He then gave me this look like, "Riiiighhht..." as if he didn't believe me. Just thinking about it now makes me mad. I think the liqueur in my system then really subdued me and calmed me. I am usually a very happy drunk who doesn't get mad. Dang, if I was sober, I would have just ripped him apart. My friend who was pretty much sober walked away...she didn't say anything or want to listen to what that fool was saying. I should have done the same. The conversation was abruptly broken up because we weren't supposed to loiter next to the bathrooms.
Anyways, kinda sidetracked there, but the rest of the people in the club were from other European nations, especially Spain because I think they had an espagnol theme that night. I seriously think the self labelling of what country we're from was a good thing, but also a bad thing. I felt like we were calling attention to ourselves, and also because we dance differently than Europeans. Of course, there's always something attached to being an American...stereotypes, appeal, etc...
Moving on, I don't quite remember but I was just dancing and this guy comes out of nowhere and starts to dance with me. I actually think he kind of grabbed my hand or something and sorta pulled me aside. Anyways, he was pretty cute. Cute, but sleazy. He was from Spain, and we danced, and then I gave him my number, mostly for fun. Then he kisses me and departs, and says he'll call me this weekend. In my mind I was like yeah right! I barely know you and all we did was grind up on each other. THE funny thing is, a half hour later, my friends and I were leaving the bathroom, looking for a new spot on the dance floor when I run into him AGAIN. Like..WTF. And he kind of pulls me aside again, and I'm separated from my friends. They take off to dance elsewhere. He's like "Christine right?" And I'm like yeah, and then he's like, do you remember my name? And of course I remember his name, because usually when I'm drunk I remember people's names really easily...it's a bit strange. It's just like the first guy I met in Paris. So we barely talked and to make up for the silence we danced, and then "stuff happened." I was okay with just dancing, it was pretty fun, and it was too loud to really talk about anything. I was also still pretty buzzed, but I could feel it wearing off. His friends call him like three times, and then finally he says his friends want to leave, so he leaves, and asks again if I want to hang out this weekend. I'm like...uhhh...maybe, though I knew I wouldn't. And that was that. There were A LOT of aggressive guys that night, more than I'm used to. It was pretty fun all the same. Then I took the night bus home, and got back around 5 ish in the morning.
I was just thinking, we girls were like pieces of bait in a cage of wild animals. One by one, each of us disappeared, got pulled away...until there were just two. But then of course we all ended back up with each other at the end of the night.
As I was brushing my teeth after I took a shower right when I got back home, I had time to reflect upon the night. Then I suddenly found that I could not remember his name. I remembered it at the time, even when he asked me what his name was like a half hour after meeting him. Was it Alejandro? Leonardo? No...<a minute later...> Oh! Lorenzo! Ugh, I continue to brush my teeth with a renewed frenzy. Only during these after-moments of soberness does one reflect with a new clarity on past events...
He texted me around noon today wondering if I wanted to meet up with him this weekend. Ha! It was fun while it lasted but I know he wants only ONE thing. Let's just say he liked to let his hands wander a lot at the club.
On a totally different note, I have been getting bug bites like you wouldn't believe. The count is almost 20, and I'm being serious. At the beginning, the bites were really small, and didn't bother me much, but now some of them are itchier and look redder. I told my homestay parents, but all they gave me was bug bite cream. It's weird because I just replaced my sheets...that's actually when it all started happening. And I didn't open my window the whole week I got my bug bites. I feel like different bugs have bitten me...like three different kinds. I think every time I go to bed, I'm like going to sleep with a bunch of bugs. Ugh writing that just gave me the chills. I shake out my sheets every time before I go to bed, and I don't see anything either. I hope this problem goes away soon.
So yeah, that is it. More tales next time. I guess this didn't end up being a "quick" update. :]
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