Humid summer air
With a hay bale aftertaste
Gulp! And it is gone.
A New Year's Eve Party in Paris
Sunday, January 2, 2011
JA: Jeunes Adultes, aka Young Adults (or Single Adults, as we are called in the US). In France, since there are so few young members of the Church, they throw quite a few parties, and the New Year's Eve party is one of the largest. Believe me, I was thrilled! (Utah is known for many great things, but fabulous parties is not one of them.)
"Party," however, is probably not the best word for it. It seemed to float somewhere between a party and a conference. Too long and too spiritual to truly be a party, but way too much fun to be a conference! I missed the first day of the conference because 1) my plane was late and 2) I was vegetized from jet lag. But I made up for it on Friday. The morning of the conference/party began with a light breakfast and spiritual talks. Then there was a break for lunch (sandwiches, fruit, yogurt drinks, and chocolate bars) and then games filled up most of the afternoon.
My favorite was the treasure hunt around Nogent (a suburb of Paris, where the conference was held). Walking through the streets of Nogent was like stepping into a fairytale postcard. Each house had its own individual character and personality, each as unique and cherished as a childhood friend. Some carried a Swiss flair, others spoke of German ancestry. Some had ivy caressing the stones, others were clean with red and white patterned brick.
 |
| Nogent, 12/31/10 |
After the afternoon's activities we had a break to get ready for the conference's highlight: the Dance! The theme was "Hollywood," so everyone was invited to dress as their favorite celebrity. Even though she's not a movie star, I chose Katy Perry. I attempted to mimic her costume from the music video "Waking Up in Vegas." My new friend, a student from Arizona spending the year being an Aupair in Paris, was Audrey Hepburn.
Some went in costume, others just wore party gowns -- or suits. Some even sewed their own dresses, because modest gowns are hard to come by in France. There was a legit Princess Leia, some suave Men in Black, and my favorites: Les Dupondt.
Seafood spread, pasta, deviled eggs, and salmon and cheap caviar on toast made up the dinner, along with the largest round of Brie cheese imaginable and slices of baguette bread. Of course, I had to try the caviar! It was slightly bitter (or perhaps just bland... most of the seafood had a bitter aftertaste, and I couldn't quite get rid of the flavor). It was also simultaneously crunch and slimy: a very strange combination to chew through. The salmon on toast was by far my favorite. I had one piece of a flan tart before Sylvain stopped me, claiming that all the seemingly delicious pastries were made from a box, and therefore had no right wandering through my digestive tract. I quickly finished off my flan when he wasn't looking and returned to the dance floor. Box or no box, it didn't taste anything like Betty's Brownie mix.
 |
| Me and Teina, the captain of our team, "Les Samouraï" |
And then, before I knew it, we were counting down to midnight! The crowd was thick with excitment.
Cinq!
Quartre!
Trois!
Deux!
Un!
BONNE ANNEE!!!
Sparklers flew everywhere, sparkling cider bottles popped and fizzed, everyone screamed, and then the entire gym resembled an ant hill for the next five minutes as bodies squeezed and parted and pushed, while everyone gave each other congratulatory "bises," aka kisses. Aka, a very memorable night.
PS, the party went on till six or seven in the morning, but I gave up at three. I'm obviously going to have to work my way up to full French partying potential.
Airport Adventures
Air travel. Worse than WalMart on Black Friday, and barely better than a ten minute radio commercial.
First off, there was the stress of knowing my bags were overweight, but hoping desperately that the baggage checkers would overlook it. Then came the last minute reorganizing, stuffing bags of Reces Pieces into my coat pockets in an attempt to reduce weight without departing with too many gifts. Once my bags were on their way I had to say goodbye to my dad at security, while trying desperately not to cry. (For me, there are very few things in this life as unbearable as crying in public.) Afterwards came the security safari. Then the careful walk to D6. I was two hours early. So, naturally, the plane was two hours late. There was a Utah blizzard, so planes were having trouble landing. When they couldn't land on time, they couldn't be cleaned on time, they couldn't board on time, et cetera. The domino effect meant that I read most of Speak, the novel my sister bought me for Christmas, before even stepping on the plane.
Once on the plane, I had to find a place for my overstuffed carry-on: hence Black Friday. By the time I squeezed squished my way to my seat -- 36A -- all the overhead spaces were taken. Luckily, I found an empty bin at the very back of the plane, with a "CREW" written on a scotch-tape label. I claimed the bin first, then double checked with the crew.
De-icing the plane was our next winter travel adventure. After a fifteen minute wait for the machines to be available, there was another fifteen minute wait while they de-iced us, and then another fifteen minutes after that we'd finally inched our way to the take-off ramp. Despite all the trouble getting there, I was still as excited as a five year old. Nothing compares to the exhilaration of take-off. The moment the wheels free themselves from the pavement marks the beginning of something incredible. Whether it is adventure, romance, or discovery, you don't know; but you do know it will be grand. You can tell from gravity's tug, the catch in your breath, and the not-quite painful race of your heart.
As you can see, we didn't have individual television screens for the ten hour flight to Paris, and my seat didn't have that great of a view of the sparse ceiling screens, so I attempted to sleep after our dinner of chicken, stuffing, carrots, and spinach (plus a cafeteria brownie for dessert). Sleeping didn't work out as well as I'd hoped. The passenger in front of me, being blessed with an increased sense of airplane savoir-faire, figured out how to recline his seat in record time and had it leaning back to its max. I struggled with the many lit up buttons on my arm-rest, but the mystery evaded me. So, I was stuck with a painfully erect seat and no leg room whatsoever. I drifted somewhere in-between sleep and reality while listening to my decently large iPod selection.
This Delta flight went directly from Salt Lake City to Paris. Talk about convenient! I kept track of our plane's progress between films and was surprised to find that we traveled as far north as Greenland. I wonder if that route is faster because of the Earth's curvature, or because of air currents? While passing over Greenland I saw a colorless aurora borealis. Though not quite as brilliant as its neon counterparts, it was still eerily elegant.
We were finally flying over France! I was hoping to capture some neat photos of the French countryside as we descended, but Paris was covered in a thick blanket of clouds. So instead, I got a picture of our plane's shadow. Not a horrible trade-off, but hopefully there will be clear skies on March 29th!
Then Customs: short line. Baggage claims: long wait. At least all my bags made it. (Unlike my previous trip to France, five years ago, when I had to survive suitcase-less for two weeks. My advice since said experience? Make sure to pack your essentials in your carry-on.)
Sylvain, a friend of the family, was waiting for me after the baggage claims. Unfortunately, he didn't find out that our plane had been delayed two hours until after he arrived at the airport. But, all went well in the end, we got my bags packed in his minuscule European vehicle, and I got my first taste of Paris traffic and French driving! (Trust me -- it's an experience you'll never forget... once you've lived through it.)
First off, there was the stress of knowing my bags were overweight, but hoping desperately that the baggage checkers would overlook it. Then came the last minute reorganizing, stuffing bags of Reces Pieces into my coat pockets in an attempt to reduce weight without departing with too many gifts. Once my bags were on their way I had to say goodbye to my dad at security, while trying desperately not to cry. (For me, there are very few things in this life as unbearable as crying in public.) Afterwards came the security safari. Then the careful walk to D6. I was two hours early. So, naturally, the plane was two hours late. There was a Utah blizzard, so planes were having trouble landing. When they couldn't land on time, they couldn't be cleaned on time, they couldn't board on time, et cetera. The domino effect meant that I read most of Speak, the novel my sister bought me for Christmas, before even stepping on the plane.
Salt Lake City Airport 12/29/10
Once on the plane, I had to find a place for my overstuffed carry-on: hence Black Friday. By the time I squeezed squished my way to my seat -- 36A -- all the overhead spaces were taken. Luckily, I found an empty bin at the very back of the plane, with a "CREW" written on a scotch-tape label. I claimed the bin first, then double checked with the crew.
De-icing the plane was our next winter travel adventure. After a fifteen minute wait for the machines to be available, there was another fifteen minute wait while they de-iced us, and then another fifteen minutes after that we'd finally inched our way to the take-off ramp. Despite all the trouble getting there, I was still as excited as a five year old. Nothing compares to the exhilaration of take-off. The moment the wheels free themselves from the pavement marks the beginning of something incredible. Whether it is adventure, romance, or discovery, you don't know; but you do know it will be grand. You can tell from gravity's tug, the catch in your breath, and the not-quite painful race of your heart.
Delta flight 170
As you can see, we didn't have individual television screens for the ten hour flight to Paris, and my seat didn't have that great of a view of the sparse ceiling screens, so I attempted to sleep after our dinner of chicken, stuffing, carrots, and spinach (plus a cafeteria brownie for dessert). Sleeping didn't work out as well as I'd hoped. The passenger in front of me, being blessed with an increased sense of airplane savoir-faire, figured out how to recline his seat in record time and had it leaning back to its max. I struggled with the many lit up buttons on my arm-rest, but the mystery evaded me. So, I was stuck with a painfully erect seat and no leg room whatsoever. I drifted somewhere in-between sleep and reality while listening to my decently large iPod selection.
This Delta flight went directly from Salt Lake City to Paris. Talk about convenient! I kept track of our plane's progress between films and was surprised to find that we traveled as far north as Greenland. I wonder if that route is faster because of the Earth's curvature, or because of air currents? While passing over Greenland I saw a colorless aurora borealis. Though not quite as brilliant as its neon counterparts, it was still eerily elegant.
Try to sleep....... not happening.....
Nelly, no, The Police....
Sleep?
...
Guess not.
GaGa, ooh LaLaLa.
Oh, great, breakfast time.
Banana.
And an egg sandwich that makes
McDonald's glow in comparison.
Are we there yet?
Nope.
England. So close...
Ah. Finally.
We were finally flying over France! I was hoping to capture some neat photos of the French countryside as we descended, but Paris was covered in a thick blanket of clouds. So instead, I got a picture of our plane's shadow. Not a horrible trade-off, but hopefully there will be clear skies on March 29th!
Then Customs: short line. Baggage claims: long wait. At least all my bags made it. (Unlike my previous trip to France, five years ago, when I had to survive suitcase-less for two weeks. My advice since said experience? Make sure to pack your essentials in your carry-on.)
Sylvain, a friend of the family, was waiting for me after the baggage claims. Unfortunately, he didn't find out that our plane had been delayed two hours until after he arrived at the airport. But, all went well in the end, we got my bags packed in his minuscule European vehicle, and I got my first taste of Paris traffic and French driving! (Trust me -- it's an experience you'll never forget... once you've lived through it.)
Packingitis
Packingitis: a disease prevalent in procrastinating travelers. Can cause temporary insanity. No known cure.
My long awaited European vacation has finally arrived! After one snowstorm, half a novel, two mediocre plane meals, three didn't-bother-to-watch movies and fifteen lethargic hours -- seasoned with small bursts of frenzied activity -- I am finally in France! I've been so busy since I got here, so Sunday has arrived with a large sigh of relief. A small but satisfying break, time to relax, heal from a bothersome sore throat, and of course, blog.
Packing was possibly the worst part of the entire ordeal -- even compared to the airport! It felt like the last quarter of the mile run, when the track seems to grow longer and longer and you're afraid it's never going to end. Pack, weigh, rearrange, weigh, take out the canned soup, weigh, rearrange again, weigh, unpack, start over, pack, weigh, scream into a couch cushion to cure a momentary bout of insanity, weigh again, pack again. Over and over.
Plus, you have to realize that my mom was in France at the time. Frequent phone calls.
My long awaited European vacation has finally arrived! After one snowstorm, half a novel, two mediocre plane meals, three didn't-bother-to-watch movies and fifteen lethargic hours -- seasoned with small bursts of frenzied activity -- I am finally in France! I've been so busy since I got here, so Sunday has arrived with a large sigh of relief. A small but satisfying break, time to relax, heal from a bothersome sore throat, and of course, blog.
Packing was possibly the worst part of the entire ordeal -- even compared to the airport! It felt like the last quarter of the mile run, when the track seems to grow longer and longer and you're afraid it's never going to end. Pack, weigh, rearrange, weigh, take out the canned soup, weigh, rearrange again, weigh, unpack, start over, pack, weigh, scream into a couch cushion to cure a momentary bout of insanity, weigh again, pack again. Over and over.
Plus, you have to realize that my mom was in France at the time. Frequent phone calls.
-- Side note: my mom's French. She grew up in Le Mans for the first 20 years of her life. She then met my dad in America and they've been living on that side of the Atlantic for the last 22 years. Most of my mom's family still lives in France. She left earlier for my Uncle's wedding, which I learned of after purchasing my tickets. The $150 fee (plus the ticket difference) was out of my budget, so I couldn't change my departure date. --
Back to the story. My mother, miles away as she was, took to my packing disaster with a tenacity that'd even cause Pepper Potts to smile in admiration.
This is how it went. I had my suitcase packed and weighed (47 lbs. -- Perfect!) and then -- RING! RING!
Mom: Did you remember to pack your Aunt's package that she mailed? The one full of scrapbooking supplies? It should have come in the mail several weeks ago. It came with several boxes of plastic dividers.
Me: Uh, I got some random small bags of scrapbooking supplies, but not the dividers. She wants those too?
Mom: Yeah, she does, go see if you can fit them in.
Me: Ok, sure...
About an hour later, after countless more similar phone calls and a tearful goodbye to a black dress and a pair of brown boots....
RING! RING!
Mom: You're going skiing with Sylvain, remember? Did you pack snow gear?
Me: As in, snow pants, snow boots, snow gloves? No.
Mom: You're going to need them. I doubt you'll have any room. You should just grab another suitcase of ours, they should be in the attic. That way you can take all the clothes you'll need and still have room for all the gifts. Have dad pay the extra bag's fee.
Me: <ecstatic>
And so, the process started anew.
Tips and Tricks:
- If you're traveling during the winter, especially if it's for a long period of time, wear a large coat to the airport and carry a second in your arms. There's always room to stuff the coats above you with your carry-on, and you'll be glad to have a second coat to switch things up a bit, because you'll be wearing them a LOT.
- Roll up your clothes military style to make more room in your suitcase.
- Remember, liquids are not allowed in your carry-ons. Make sure any liquid foundations, perfumes, canned soup, peanut butter, and whatever else you may have are in your suitcase.
- Wear shoes that you can easily take on and off, and don't wear too much jewelry. This will save you time at security.
- If you take a laptop, it has to go in your carry-on. Also, make sure it is easily accessible, because you'll need to take it out briefly at security.
- Pack all your "essentials" in your carry-on. You never know if your suitcases will actually make it with you or not.
- If you are planning to take an extra suitcase, check them in online at least one day in advance. You'll save 5 euros from the extra baggage fee.
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