1-31-11 (RM, France)
Yesterday, Ben and I decided to walk down to the Chateau de Malmaison (this once belonged to Emperor Napolean) to see the grounds and get some exercise in while it was sunny out. While we were walking down the street, a guy walking his dog passed us by and gave me an extremely odd look. I didn't see this happen, but apparently Ben saw him staring at me. A few seconds later he turned around and said "Hey, are you guys from Oklahoma?" It was then that I realized that he had seen my Oklahoma University sweatshirt under my jacket and he had recognized the colors. Anyway, this guy was an OSU grad in chemical engineer (I think?) who had previously worked for Fina before it merged with Total (the largest French oil/gas company). He had been living in Houston for a while and he had just moved to France over the summer with his family. I think he oversees refining production at two facilities in Belgium and the Netherlands. He seemed like a really down to Earth guy so me and Ben gave him our email information and told him that we should go out for a beer sometime. Small world!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Map Scales Can't Be Trusted in Paris! (from 1-29-11)
1-30-11 (RM, France; Paris, France)
Last night I was supposed to attend a friend's birthday party at about 8:00pm in East Paris. I left Rueil around 7:00pm to ride the RER and Metro into the city and leave myself enough time to find the restaurant. Unfortunately, I had written down the old address (he moved the party at some point during the week) and couldn't immediately remember the new one. After about twenty minutes of intensive thinking and walking around I was able to recall the street name. Following this mental revelation I proceeded to locate the nearest map at the Metro station. The cross street didn't seem to far away (maybe a few blocks?) so I headed off in the direction of the street. I kept looking for the cross street but never saw it. I decided I must have walked in the wrong direction and headed back to the Metro station to head that way. After another fifteen minutes of walking, I turned back again. Finally, Ben and I had had enough and decided to stop and eat a sandwich. After eating we asked the owner if he knew where the street was. He pointed us across the street and down a few block. After over an hour of walking around searching for this damn street, it was literally 100 feet away the entire evening.
Fortunately for me, showing up late was probably for the best. I hate being stuck at crowded tables with no way to stand up or move around. I guess it makes me nervous, crowded, and uncomfortable. Anyway, people were just getting their meals by the time Ben and I showed up. While people were finishing up with their food I was able to give a prepared toast to my friend David in honor of his birthday. My toast was followed up by presents and cake. It was a great time to arrive at the party!
Last night I was supposed to attend a friend's birthday party at about 8:00pm in East Paris. I left Rueil around 7:00pm to ride the RER and Metro into the city and leave myself enough time to find the restaurant. Unfortunately, I had written down the old address (he moved the party at some point during the week) and couldn't immediately remember the new one. After about twenty minutes of intensive thinking and walking around I was able to recall the street name. Following this mental revelation I proceeded to locate the nearest map at the Metro station. The cross street didn't seem to far away (maybe a few blocks?) so I headed off in the direction of the street. I kept looking for the cross street but never saw it. I decided I must have walked in the wrong direction and headed back to the Metro station to head that way. After another fifteen minutes of walking, I turned back again. Finally, Ben and I had had enough and decided to stop and eat a sandwich. After eating we asked the owner if he knew where the street was. He pointed us across the street and down a few block. After over an hour of walking around searching for this damn street, it was literally 100 feet away the entire evening.
Fortunately for me, showing up late was probably for the best. I hate being stuck at crowded tables with no way to stand up or move around. I guess it makes me nervous, crowded, and uncomfortable. Anyway, people were just getting their meals by the time Ben and I showed up. While people were finishing up with their food I was able to give a prepared toast to my friend David in honor of his birthday. My toast was followed up by presents and cake. It was a great time to arrive at the party!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Man, This Song Takes Me Back
1-27-11 (RM, France)
Every now and again I listen to a song that takes me back to what seems like a simpler time. Today's selection includes: The Spin Doctors "Two Princes" aka (just go ahead now). I know this post seems pretty pointless but you can make it better by commenting on what songs you remember from "back in the day?"
How about this gem?
Need more nostalgia?
Not enough?
One about fruit?
Thirsty for water after eating the fruit?
Subsequently, if you have any of these albums let me know :)
Every now and again I listen to a song that takes me back to what seems like a simpler time. Today's selection includes: The Spin Doctors "Two Princes" aka (just go ahead now). I know this post seems pretty pointless but you can make it better by commenting on what songs you remember from "back in the day?"
How about this gem?
Need more nostalgia?
Not enough?
One about fruit?
Thirsty for water after eating the fruit?
Subsequently, if you have any of these albums let me know :)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Dear French Government - Bugger Off
1-26-11 (RM, France)
Despite already having two medical insurance policies, including one specifically designed for international travel and mandated by OU, the government of France thinks it would be a good idea to extort 200 euro from me so that I become part of their social security (medical) system. Thanks guy, but I think have it covered already.
I will try one last ditch effort tomorrow to explain to the bureaucrat at school that I don't want to be part of a system that I derive no benefit from now or in the future. Me being here for 6-7 months without a government health care policy isn't going to bring down your way of life or destroy French democracy. Please just leave me alone already! I just want to go to school, learn about petroleum, hang out with my friends, and be left alone by the local violence-monopoly. Is that too much to ask? Do me one solid for once....
Despite already having two medical insurance policies, including one specifically designed for international travel and mandated by OU, the government of France thinks it would be a good idea to extort 200 euro from me so that I become part of their social security (medical) system. Thanks guy, but I think have it covered already.
I will try one last ditch effort tomorrow to explain to the bureaucrat at school that I don't want to be part of a system that I derive no benefit from now or in the future. Me being here for 6-7 months without a government health care policy isn't going to bring down your way of life or destroy French democracy. Please just leave me alone already! I just want to go to school, learn about petroleum, hang out with my friends, and be left alone by the local violence-monopoly. Is that too much to ask? Do me one solid for once....
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
OMG Food-gasm
1-25-2011 (RM, France)
This post isn't really that exciting or glamorous, but I thought I would take a few minutes to talk about what I am eating tonight. I really love the fact that you can get baguettes at different lengths. I am alone in the apartment so I usually get the one that is about one foot long. It is delicious bread and only costs about .42 euro cents. Next, I decided that it would be a good idea to have some spread for the bread so I picked up a few individual packages of goose liver mousse. Yum! For my entree I went with beef stuffed cannelloni with tomato sauce. Despite the fact that it came from a frozen foods store, it was excellent as well. Picard (the frozen foods store) is probably my favorite store in the history of the universe. Everything is fresh tasting and ready to cook. What more could a single man want? No pots and pans, no messes :)
This post isn't really that exciting or glamorous, but I thought I would take a few minutes to talk about what I am eating tonight. I really love the fact that you can get baguettes at different lengths. I am alone in the apartment so I usually get the one that is about one foot long. It is delicious bread and only costs about .42 euro cents. Next, I decided that it would be a good idea to have some spread for the bread so I picked up a few individual packages of goose liver mousse. Yum! For my entree I went with beef stuffed cannelloni with tomato sauce. Despite the fact that it came from a frozen foods store, it was excellent as well. Picard (the frozen foods store) is probably my favorite store in the history of the universe. Everything is fresh tasting and ready to cook. What more could a single man want? No pots and pans, no messes :)
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Sacre'-Cceur and Moulin Rouge 1-23-11
1-23-11 (Paris, France)
Today a small group of us (me, Nikita, Maria, and Mattieu) went to see the Basilique du Sacre'-Cceur. Not only was the church beautiful, but the view over Paris was amazing as well. Next we walked around the Montmartre area, where there were many small shops and restaurants.
Since we were in the area, we decided to see the Moulin Rouge and the surrounding red-light area. No big deal really, just a bunch of strip-clubs and porno shops. It was an odd mix of smut and nice restaurants.
Look, pictures!!!
Today a small group of us (me, Nikita, Maria, and Mattieu) went to see the Basilique du Sacre'-Cceur. Not only was the church beautiful, but the view over Paris was amazing as well. Next we walked around the Montmartre area, where there were many small shops and restaurants.
Since we were in the area, we decided to see the Moulin Rouge and the surrounding red-light area. No big deal really, just a bunch of strip-clubs and porno shops. It was an odd mix of smut and nice restaurants.
Look, pictures!!!
At Least Half my Evening was Cool (1-22-11)
1-23-11 (RM, France; Paris, France)
Where to even begin? Yesterday was incredibly long and filled with many ups and downs. First off, David, Valerie, Anna, Nick, and I went to the Pompidou modern art museum in Paris. Most of the exhibit was boring and repetitive crap on canvas, but they had a few good pieces which I found worthy to be in a museum. Usually students are given a free ticket to enter the main exhibit but I guess my age disqualified me from getting the discount. I grudgingly had to shell out 12 euro. Nick commented that, being a modern art museum, there were going to be plenty of giant vaginas and breasts on canvas. Funny because it's true.
After the museum we walked over to a cathedral that was right in the area. I'm not even sure which one it was, but the architecture was beautiful and for some reason I just felt like we should go inside and check it out. As luck would have it, a free concert was about to commence inside. Two pianists were going to perform various pieces by Brahms and Schubert. Our group stayed for a few songs as well as an organ performance. It was definitely a treat.
Following our encounter with the divine, the group decided to get smaller and more rowdy. Nick, Anna, and myself went to our friend Mattieu's apartment in Paris to have drinks, eat pizza, and mingle with friends. The night turned into an impromptu karaoke event when Anna asked me, in a oh-so convincing way by batting her eyes and smiling at me, to sing her a song. I chose the classic, Piano Man, as my first live performance piece. I also had a request from Aleksandra to sing Moon River to her.
Due to the size of Mattieu's flat, it was actually really fun to try and cram as many of our friends into his place as possible. Later in the evening, Mattieu insisted that we all leave and go to a club party located on a boat parked along the Siene. This decision later proved to be, well, mixed.
As many of you probably already know, I hate clubs. Hate 'em. At least being with my group of friends made it more pleasurable than it otherwise would have been and there wasn't a cover charge for IFP students that night. Things went down like they usually do in clubs, drinks got made and were overpriced, people danced, some people tried to dance, etc. Damn it all though when everyone wanted to leave and wouldn't wait for me to get my coat at the coat check. For no particular reason, it took maybe a good 20-30 minutes to get my coat when there were only 6-8 people in front of me in line. Only Ben and Dounia remained outside to wait for me. Thank goodness they did, kind of. The next hour or so was spent walking from the club to another district in Paris trying to find a taxi that would actually take us to Rueil. French taxi drivers apparently hate making money by driving slightly outside Paris. Dounia was finally able to convince one driver to take us all back to Rueil.
Where to even begin? Yesterday was incredibly long and filled with many ups and downs. First off, David, Valerie, Anna, Nick, and I went to the Pompidou modern art museum in Paris. Most of the exhibit was boring and repetitive crap on canvas, but they had a few good pieces which I found worthy to be in a museum. Usually students are given a free ticket to enter the main exhibit but I guess my age disqualified me from getting the discount. I grudgingly had to shell out 12 euro. Nick commented that, being a modern art museum, there were going to be plenty of giant vaginas and breasts on canvas. Funny because it's true.
After the museum we walked over to a cathedral that was right in the area. I'm not even sure which one it was, but the architecture was beautiful and for some reason I just felt like we should go inside and check it out. As luck would have it, a free concert was about to commence inside. Two pianists were going to perform various pieces by Brahms and Schubert. Our group stayed for a few songs as well as an organ performance. It was definitely a treat.
Following our encounter with the divine, the group decided to get smaller and more rowdy. Nick, Anna, and myself went to our friend Mattieu's apartment in Paris to have drinks, eat pizza, and mingle with friends. The night turned into an impromptu karaoke event when Anna asked me, in a oh-so convincing way by batting her eyes and smiling at me, to sing her a song. I chose the classic, Piano Man, as my first live performance piece. I also had a request from Aleksandra to sing Moon River to her.
Due to the size of Mattieu's flat, it was actually really fun to try and cram as many of our friends into his place as possible. Later in the evening, Mattieu insisted that we all leave and go to a club party located on a boat parked along the Siene. This decision later proved to be, well, mixed.
As many of you probably already know, I hate clubs. Hate 'em. At least being with my group of friends made it more pleasurable than it otherwise would have been and there wasn't a cover charge for IFP students that night. Things went down like they usually do in clubs, drinks got made and were overpriced, people danced, some people tried to dance, etc. Damn it all though when everyone wanted to leave and wouldn't wait for me to get my coat at the coat check. For no particular reason, it took maybe a good 20-30 minutes to get my coat when there were only 6-8 people in front of me in line. Only Ben and Dounia remained outside to wait for me. Thank goodness they did, kind of. The next hour or so was spent walking from the club to another district in Paris trying to find a taxi that would actually take us to Rueil. French taxi drivers apparently hate making money by driving slightly outside Paris. Dounia was finally able to convince one driver to take us all back to Rueil.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Why I Don't Like Voting (An Answer to my French Friends)
1-19-2011 (RM, France)
Many people in France are interested in discussing personal politics, but up until this point I was pretty hesitant to enter into that type of discussion fearing that my ideas are far too complex to summarize in a short discussion session. Specifically I have been asked on numerous occasions if I voted for Obama and who I plan to vote for in the next election cycle. I have pretty much kept it at that I don't vote. When asked why I simply state that I don't support the State in its modern incarnation. This has confused some so I will try to take a moment to explain.
The State, by its very definition, has a monopoly on physical violence and force. In a legitimate society, one based on private property and voluntary human interaction, the State is the mechanism of retaliation against those who would deprive the rights of other individuals. Notice that, for me, the use of force by the State may only be initiated AFTER an illegitimate use of force by someone else. Simply put, I am against the initiation of force by the State in a preemptive way.
Building upon the premise of the legitimate role of the State, it may become more clear as to why I can't lend my support to the current incarnation of the US government. This incarnation is not specific to the current regime, but spans across political parties and individual politicians. In other words, the majority of State action taken today begins with the initiation of force against peaceful, private individual citizens. I can not lend my support for such a system of political rule, so I choose generally not to vote. Were I to vote, I can guarantee it would be against incumbent politicians despite their political party affiliation. Better to prevent politicians from making a career out of looting the private wealth of individuals as lifelong members of the ruling political body.
Does this make me an anarchist? No, not really. I do support a minimal government; one that functions as the protector of individual rights and property. Decentralization of power is key for me, especially in terms of the State's ability to wage mass-murder in the form of foreign wars. I also believe that the State should not interfere in the decisions of individual actors so long as they are not causing harm to another human being or their property. This holds true across all issues including a person's economic livelihood and the ability to own, control, transfer, use, and enjoy property.
I will tell you that I do not consider democracy or voting as sacrosanct, because these are simply institutional means to an even greater end: individual human liberty and voluntary interaction. What I mean is that the democratic system of government is not in place for the sake of itself, but for the sake of protecting individuals against unreasonable uses of force against them. When democracy turns against the goal of human liberty, then it is no longer a system worthy of support. Does this mean that our society can't turn back to a legitimate system of political rule? I can't really speculate. This would take a massive political and philosophical changing of the tide in terms of the way the public thinks about the role of the State.
For now, trust me when I say that I put faith in decentralized human creativity and creation. I believe that free minds, when free to create, exchange, and expound upon ideas, will help drive technological, social, and economic changes that will improve the lives of people around the world. Invisible lines on a map don't limit the emergence of cooperation, friendship, and bonds that can develop between people across the world.
Regards,
Chris
song of the day: Death and the Healing by Wintersun
Many people in France are interested in discussing personal politics, but up until this point I was pretty hesitant to enter into that type of discussion fearing that my ideas are far too complex to summarize in a short discussion session. Specifically I have been asked on numerous occasions if I voted for Obama and who I plan to vote for in the next election cycle. I have pretty much kept it at that I don't vote. When asked why I simply state that I don't support the State in its modern incarnation. This has confused some so I will try to take a moment to explain.
The State, by its very definition, has a monopoly on physical violence and force. In a legitimate society, one based on private property and voluntary human interaction, the State is the mechanism of retaliation against those who would deprive the rights of other individuals. Notice that, for me, the use of force by the State may only be initiated AFTER an illegitimate use of force by someone else. Simply put, I am against the initiation of force by the State in a preemptive way.
Building upon the premise of the legitimate role of the State, it may become more clear as to why I can't lend my support to the current incarnation of the US government. This incarnation is not specific to the current regime, but spans across political parties and individual politicians. In other words, the majority of State action taken today begins with the initiation of force against peaceful, private individual citizens. I can not lend my support for such a system of political rule, so I choose generally not to vote. Were I to vote, I can guarantee it would be against incumbent politicians despite their political party affiliation. Better to prevent politicians from making a career out of looting the private wealth of individuals as lifelong members of the ruling political body.
Does this make me an anarchist? No, not really. I do support a minimal government; one that functions as the protector of individual rights and property. Decentralization of power is key for me, especially in terms of the State's ability to wage mass-murder in the form of foreign wars. I also believe that the State should not interfere in the decisions of individual actors so long as they are not causing harm to another human being or their property. This holds true across all issues including a person's economic livelihood and the ability to own, control, transfer, use, and enjoy property.
I will tell you that I do not consider democracy or voting as sacrosanct, because these are simply institutional means to an even greater end: individual human liberty and voluntary interaction. What I mean is that the democratic system of government is not in place for the sake of itself, but for the sake of protecting individuals against unreasonable uses of force against them. When democracy turns against the goal of human liberty, then it is no longer a system worthy of support. Does this mean that our society can't turn back to a legitimate system of political rule? I can't really speculate. This would take a massive political and philosophical changing of the tide in terms of the way the public thinks about the role of the State.
For now, trust me when I say that I put faith in decentralized human creativity and creation. I believe that free minds, when free to create, exchange, and expound upon ideas, will help drive technological, social, and economic changes that will improve the lives of people around the world. Invisible lines on a map don't limit the emergence of cooperation, friendship, and bonds that can develop between people across the world.
Regards,
Chris
song of the day: Death and the Healing by Wintersun
Monday, January 17, 2011
Sunday was Beautiful 1-16-11
1-17-11 (RM, France; Paris, France) (updated with picture)
Yesterday (Sunday) I went to Paris to visit Notre Dame Cathedral. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the sun was actually out! This made the trip so much better since the stained glass windows were lit up and sparkling. I was amazed at how tall the Cathedral actually was inside and how beautiful it was. I was stupid and forgot my camera but the tour is free so I'll probably wind up going back when the weather is nice again.
I walked along the Seine River for a good hour or so through the city. Everyone was out running/jogging, roller-blading, riding bikes, or just walking their dogs. After coming out of a long tunnel, I swung back around into a park and wound up in front of the Louvre where the pyramid is located. Next I wandered around until I found a small cafe where I had a sandwich and some fries. Not really too much else to say other than the architecture here is amazing and the sun really lights up the whole city when it isn't cloudy. I'm looking forward to Spring.
Here is a picture of some street art I got for ten euro. It is actually much cooler in person.
I've Got the World on a String - Sinatra
Yesterday (Sunday) I went to Paris to visit Notre Dame Cathedral. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the sun was actually out! This made the trip so much better since the stained glass windows were lit up and sparkling. I was amazed at how tall the Cathedral actually was inside and how beautiful it was. I was stupid and forgot my camera but the tour is free so I'll probably wind up going back when the weather is nice again.
I walked along the Seine River for a good hour or so through the city. Everyone was out running/jogging, roller-blading, riding bikes, or just walking their dogs. After coming out of a long tunnel, I swung back around into a park and wound up in front of the Louvre where the pyramid is located. Next I wandered around until I found a small cafe where I had a sandwich and some fries. Not really too much else to say other than the architecture here is amazing and the sun really lights up the whole city when it isn't cloudy. I'm looking forward to Spring.
Here is a picture of some street art I got for ten euro. It is actually much cooler in person.
I've Got the World on a String - Sinatra
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Birthday in Paris! 27 years OLD.
1-15-11 (RM, France; Paris, France)
Birthday plans in Paris tonight at a hoppin' British-style pub. Details to follow tomorrow...
Enjoy this birthday song written by NOFX in the meantime (NSFW)
Yay birthdays with new friends! I started out my evening with a quick gin and tonic at the apartment and the proceeded to the Pub in Paris. Things started out kind of slow but eventually all my classmates started to trickle in 1 and 2 at a time. I think I paid for my first drink and that was it. Someone bought me a shot of caramel flavored vodka which was really, really sugary. After that I stuck to British bitters (beer). I think later I had two green apple vodka shots and ended the night with a disgusting beer known as Desperado. It is a lime/tequila flavored beer that seems to be popular here. It is too strange for me to enjoy. However, it came as a free gift from a new friend I met out at the bar.
My new friends in the PEM program are AMAZING! Not only did they bring me a cake with candles, but they collectively gathered money to buy me a nice french dress shirt, tie, and zippo lighter. Everyone smokes here so I thought it would be cool to have a nice lighter as a conversation starter on the street. I had no idea that they were even planning on getting me anything since I had insisted that it wasn't necessary.
I think I'll try and start a database with everyone's names, contact information, and birthdays so that our class can continue to plan events around people's birthdays while they are living here.
Birthday plans in Paris tonight at a hoppin' British-style pub. Details to follow tomorrow...
Enjoy this birthday song written by NOFX in the meantime (NSFW)
Yay birthdays with new friends! I started out my evening with a quick gin and tonic at the apartment and the proceeded to the Pub in Paris. Things started out kind of slow but eventually all my classmates started to trickle in 1 and 2 at a time. I think I paid for my first drink and that was it. Someone bought me a shot of caramel flavored vodka which was really, really sugary. After that I stuck to British bitters (beer). I think later I had two green apple vodka shots and ended the night with a disgusting beer known as Desperado. It is a lime/tequila flavored beer that seems to be popular here. It is too strange for me to enjoy. However, it came as a free gift from a new friend I met out at the bar.
My new friends in the PEM program are AMAZING! Not only did they bring me a cake with candles, but they collectively gathered money to buy me a nice french dress shirt, tie, and zippo lighter. Everyone smokes here so I thought it would be cool to have a nice lighter as a conversation starter on the street. I had no idea that they were even planning on getting me anything since I had insisted that it wasn't necessary.
I think I'll try and start a database with everyone's names, contact information, and birthdays so that our class can continue to plan events around people's birthdays while they are living here.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Congratulations.... TO ME!
1-14-11 (RM, France)
I want to send out a very serious "thank you," to everyone in the Petroleum Economics and Management (PEM) program who voiced their support and gave their votes for me today. It is because of all my friends that I was elected class representative today. I hadn't really planned on running for the position, but a group of my fellow students recommended to me that I run. It was quite and honor and I know that I'll do well in representing our class from an international point of view. Congratulations are also in order to Emilie Gubian as well, as she will also be representing our class.
I want to send out a very serious "thank you," to everyone in the Petroleum Economics and Management (PEM) program who voiced their support and gave their votes for me today. It is because of all my friends that I was elected class representative today. I hadn't really planned on running for the position, but a group of my fellow students recommended to me that I run. It was quite and honor and I know that I'll do well in representing our class from an international point of view. Congratulations are also in order to Emilie Gubian as well, as she will also be representing our class.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Birthday Plans Coming Together for Saturday
1-13-11 (RM, France)
Just two more days until my 27th birthday, yay! At first I didn't really like the concept of turning 27 and entering into my "late twenties," but now I realized that age bring wisdom and experience, bring in turn bring respect and admiration. If you are in the Paris area this Saturday and you are a fan of this blog, then please join us at the Frog and Princess Pub in Paris around 18hr30m (6:30pm). It should be a fun time at the pub.
I was very flattered today when a group of my fellow students advised me that they thought I should be the class representative (or at least of of the two representatives.) The best parts of my personality continue to shine through as everyone here is very friendly and outgoing and a real pleasure to talk to. For some reason I feel more confident and willing to share my fun side with these folks and that makes me feel good.
Other than my birthday party this Saturday night, my plan is to make it into Paris early in the day and take in some local art culture. I think I'll try to visit the Musee d'Orsay and maybe just walk around a bit in the city.
Last night's dinner with Geraldine, Maria, Marco, and David was a ton of fun. Marco made Mexican style burritos with beef, sour cream, tomato salsa, peppers, and, of course, queso! We all sat around in Geraldine's room and drank beer, laughed, told jokes, ripped on each other, and performed bar tricks. Geraldine had an especially good trick where she makes a glass disappear under a napkin. She was way too fast after a few beers for me to see it work. The group berated me for about 15 minutes because, apparently, I can't pronounce "Maria" in the proper Spanish accent. Americans don't do the proper "R" sound. They told me to use the tip of my tongue to do an "r" sound just behind my teeth and on the roof of the mouth. I'm getting better, but they all think it hilarious that I can't do it. As if that weren't enough, Geraldine made fun of me because she thought my name was too similar to the Christopher Robin character from Winnie the Poo. I tried to jokingly storm out of the apartment dorm but the door was locked. Instead I collapsed in front of the door and acted like I was crying and curling into a ball.
I was asking Maria about romance in Spain since Americans tend to think of all Spanish speaking countries as very romantic and passionate. I was surprised to hear that guys in Madrid don't really know how to approach women and are often timid to do so. This reminded me of most guys back in the States. Apparently in Brazil however, people just make out with whomever they happen to be dancing with. My other friend, Emelie, told me that in France the guys should just try to take the girl and hope for the best. In other words, they will respond if they are interested and won't if not. I'm not fully able to grasp the concept of this yet since I actually like talking to people first to develop a rapport. Seems strange but, when in Rome, as they say.
All for now, thank you all my readers! Y'all are great and the growing numbers really help inspire me to keep writing.
Song of the Day: Any Way You Want It by Journey
Just two more days until my 27th birthday, yay! At first I didn't really like the concept of turning 27 and entering into my "late twenties," but now I realized that age bring wisdom and experience, bring in turn bring respect and admiration. If you are in the Paris area this Saturday and you are a fan of this blog, then please join us at the Frog and Princess Pub in Paris around 18hr30m (6:30pm). It should be a fun time at the pub.
I was very flattered today when a group of my fellow students advised me that they thought I should be the class representative (or at least of of the two representatives.) The best parts of my personality continue to shine through as everyone here is very friendly and outgoing and a real pleasure to talk to. For some reason I feel more confident and willing to share my fun side with these folks and that makes me feel good.
Other than my birthday party this Saturday night, my plan is to make it into Paris early in the day and take in some local art culture. I think I'll try to visit the Musee d'Orsay and maybe just walk around a bit in the city.
Last night's dinner with Geraldine, Maria, Marco, and David was a ton of fun. Marco made Mexican style burritos with beef, sour cream, tomato salsa, peppers, and, of course, queso! We all sat around in Geraldine's room and drank beer, laughed, told jokes, ripped on each other, and performed bar tricks. Geraldine had an especially good trick where she makes a glass disappear under a napkin. She was way too fast after a few beers for me to see it work. The group berated me for about 15 minutes because, apparently, I can't pronounce "Maria" in the proper Spanish accent. Americans don't do the proper "R" sound. They told me to use the tip of my tongue to do an "r" sound just behind my teeth and on the roof of the mouth. I'm getting better, but they all think it hilarious that I can't do it. As if that weren't enough, Geraldine made fun of me because she thought my name was too similar to the Christopher Robin character from Winnie the Poo. I tried to jokingly storm out of the apartment dorm but the door was locked. Instead I collapsed in front of the door and acted like I was crying and curling into a ball.
I was asking Maria about romance in Spain since Americans tend to think of all Spanish speaking countries as very romantic and passionate. I was surprised to hear that guys in Madrid don't really know how to approach women and are often timid to do so. This reminded me of most guys back in the States. Apparently in Brazil however, people just make out with whomever they happen to be dancing with. My other friend, Emelie, told me that in France the guys should just try to take the girl and hope for the best. In other words, they will respond if they are interested and won't if not. I'm not fully able to grasp the concept of this yet since I actually like talking to people first to develop a rapport. Seems strange but, when in Rome, as they say.
All for now, thank you all my readers! Y'all are great and the growing numbers really help inspire me to keep writing.
Song of the Day: Any Way You Want It by Journey
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
My Official Course Schedule
1-13-11 (RM, France)
Financial Accounting
Energy Economics and Development
Energy Geopolitics
Upstream Management Techniques
Downstream Management Techniques
Commodities Markets and Trading
Reservoir Engineering 1 and 2
Linear Programming
Advanced Econometrics
Management Information Systems
Also, awesome news. The director of the IFP School is named Jean-Luc. Bad ass? Yes.
Financial Accounting
Energy Economics and Development
Energy Geopolitics
Upstream Management Techniques
Downstream Management Techniques
Commodities Markets and Trading
Reservoir Engineering 1 and 2
Linear Programming
Advanced Econometrics
Management Information Systems
Also, awesome news. The director of the IFP School is named Jean-Luc. Bad ass? Yes.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Things Continue to Go Well
1-11-11 (RM, France)
The second week of courses started this week and so far everything is still pretty basic, but stimulating. The quality of the education we are getting here is, IMO, far superior to back home. I think it is because IFP requires all their students to be sponsored from business or industry or pursuing a joint masters degree from a partner university. They know we are all very capable individuals and treat us as such.
Personally, I love the price and variety of cheese here. I got an awesome blue cheese for less than 2 euro at Carrefour and ate it with some yummy baguette. Sweet. I also bought some peanut butter and jam to have on hand in case I run out of proper food. It will do in a pinch and the jam is definitely awesome. Blackberry jam, amazing. I also got a few more eggs and meat for breakfast dishes.
I'm really glad that I have had experience traveling and living on my own in the past. I'm sure this experience would be much scarier if I hadn't been living around the country during the Ron Paul campaign and giving it a shot at living in Southern California a year or two back. I'm adjusted to life here quite easily and I'm not really experiencing any culture shock that some Americans get from traveling and living abroad. French people seem pretty polite and many random people will stop to chat with you simply because you are American or look like you need help. A really nice Chinese/French women helped us order food at a restaurant and spoke at length with me and Ben about her husband having worked for IFP.
Cost of living (except for rent of courses) has been considerably cheaper and more reasonable than expected. I get a good, quality lunch for around 4 euro per day and my trip to the grocery store plus the frozen food store for the week only ran 24 euro. This sets up nicely for some extra money for weekend trips into Paris and maybe some more fun trips to other places (Prague maybe?) in the future. I'm torn between wanting to visit Munich and Prague. All the beer drinkers tell me to go to Munich, all of the ladies men tell me to go to Prague.
Things started of so poorly but I'm happy to say that everything has rapidly and drastically improved since classes started. I can't say enough positive things about the quality of teaching here by the professional, industry-oriented staff, and of my fellow students. Everyone seems like a stellar individual and I'm having a lot of fun just meeting new people and listening to stories and ideas about where they come from. In the age of globalization and integrated markets, it seems like a must for people to have international exposure at some point in their younger years. I know I made the right choice coming here and since have no regrets.
The second week of courses started this week and so far everything is still pretty basic, but stimulating. The quality of the education we are getting here is, IMO, far superior to back home. I think it is because IFP requires all their students to be sponsored from business or industry or pursuing a joint masters degree from a partner university. They know we are all very capable individuals and treat us as such.
Personally, I love the price and variety of cheese here. I got an awesome blue cheese for less than 2 euro at Carrefour and ate it with some yummy baguette. Sweet. I also bought some peanut butter and jam to have on hand in case I run out of proper food. It will do in a pinch and the jam is definitely awesome. Blackberry jam, amazing. I also got a few more eggs and meat for breakfast dishes.
I'm really glad that I have had experience traveling and living on my own in the past. I'm sure this experience would be much scarier if I hadn't been living around the country during the Ron Paul campaign and giving it a shot at living in Southern California a year or two back. I'm adjusted to life here quite easily and I'm not really experiencing any culture shock that some Americans get from traveling and living abroad. French people seem pretty polite and many random people will stop to chat with you simply because you are American or look like you need help. A really nice Chinese/French women helped us order food at a restaurant and spoke at length with me and Ben about her husband having worked for IFP.
Cost of living (except for rent of courses) has been considerably cheaper and more reasonable than expected. I get a good, quality lunch for around 4 euro per day and my trip to the grocery store plus the frozen food store for the week only ran 24 euro. This sets up nicely for some extra money for weekend trips into Paris and maybe some more fun trips to other places (Prague maybe?) in the future. I'm torn between wanting to visit Munich and Prague. All the beer drinkers tell me to go to Munich, all of the ladies men tell me to go to Prague.
Things started of so poorly but I'm happy to say that everything has rapidly and drastically improved since classes started. I can't say enough positive things about the quality of teaching here by the professional, industry-oriented staff, and of my fellow students. Everyone seems like a stellar individual and I'm having a lot of fun just meeting new people and listening to stories and ideas about where they come from. In the age of globalization and integrated markets, it seems like a must for people to have international exposure at some point in their younger years. I know I made the right choice coming here and since have no regrets.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
An Afternoon in Paris (01-08-11)
Ben and I decided to venture out on our own to try and learn how to navigate the RER and Metro system. It was pretty easy but we went to the wrong track I think twice. Anyway, we went from Rueil into Paris right near the Eiffel Tower. We walked up to the tower, under it, etc. It was very pretty at night since they light it up. Can't say I liked all the street merchants trying to peddle their useless crap to me, but oh well. Next we stopped in a small cafe/bar to have a beer. We had some type of wheat beer that was really good and fruity tasting at a pretty reasonable price considering we were downtown and right near the largest tourist sight in the city.
After our "touristy" visit into the city, we decided to head back to Le' Defense and stop at the giant shopping mall there. I have never seen a mall like this in my life. It was utterly insane in size and scope. They had a three story store inside which was the equivalent of a Wal-Mart only about twice as big. One floor was nothing but food, the bottom floor was all beverages, and the top floor had appliances and household items. I needed to pick up an electric buzzer to keep my hair in check. Ben got two pillows for 9 euro and a blanket for even cheaper. Europeans always complain about Wal-Mart and American consumerism, but I can't say without a doubt that this was the busiest mall and largest store I have ever seen in my life. Seriously, Wal-Mart is a joke in comparison to the massive size of Auchan.
Anway, here are some pretty pictures of the Eiffel Tower to tide you over. Sorry, they were taken on my camera phone and aren't that great of a quality. I'll have to buy a digital camera or something while I'm here.
Song of the Day: The Omen by The Prodigy
After our "touristy" visit into the city, we decided to head back to Le' Defense and stop at the giant shopping mall there. I have never seen a mall like this in my life. It was utterly insane in size and scope. They had a three story store inside which was the equivalent of a Wal-Mart only about twice as big. One floor was nothing but food, the bottom floor was all beverages, and the top floor had appliances and household items. I needed to pick up an electric buzzer to keep my hair in check. Ben got two pillows for 9 euro and a blanket for even cheaper. Europeans always complain about Wal-Mart and American consumerism, but I can't say without a doubt that this was the busiest mall and largest store I have ever seen in my life. Seriously, Wal-Mart is a joke in comparison to the massive size of Auchan.
Anway, here are some pretty pictures of the Eiffel Tower to tide you over. Sorry, they were taken on my camera phone and aren't that great of a quality. I'll have to buy a digital camera or something while I'm here.
Song of the Day: The Omen by The Prodigy
Friday, January 7, 2011
First Night Out in Paris (Proper) UPDATED!!!
1-7-11 (RM, France; Paris, France)
The class is having a meet'n'greet event tonight at "Le Cafe Oz," and Australian pub. I will post more on this later, including pictures. Wish me luck!
Ok, so I couldn't really get my cell phone pictures to come out but let's just say the bar was amazing. We started out kind of chill about 6:30/7:00pm and then the night got progressively more crazy from there. The drinking culture is different here because I think people are more secure with themselves. I tried to follow along and not drink too much, but still maintain a little buzz for extra courage. The bar got insanely crowded so it was really fun dancing all around with different girls and not giving two shits about it. I was mainly just dancing because it was fun to bounce around to the music and just let loose.
But of course there were girls, oh yes, the girls. I guess over here there is a very macho culture of taking what you want when you are interested. The girls will dance with whoever has enough balls to grab them by the hands and pull them out to dance. I had to learn this over the course of the evening because I though French people were more polite than this. NOPE! Next weekend, I see a pretty girl, I take her. That's about the long and short of getting women to go dance and have fun with you. I was close to dancing with this amazing girl but then her two friends pulled an international cock-block on me and told their friend, Claire I think, that they were going to the other side of the bar. Lame. I didn't really want to put up with much bullshit so I pretty much just blew them off to go hang out with my friends from IFP.
I feel very lucky that everyone from class is so easygoing and fun to go out and drink with. People like to talk about their respective countries and cultures and they aren't really afraid to get into tough economic or social issues. Nobody is disrespectful and very open-minded. Of course people have strong opinions, but it is much more fun to discuss rather than argue with people like it is in the States.
As far as the dancing goes, Europeans are... well... pretty funny I guess. They play alot of American music like hiphop, rock mix, etc but they are so mechanical in their dancing. People jerk around really fast like they have to keep up with every beat. Me, I just go out my own pace every other beat or so. I think dancing on the 1/3 beats kind of threw some people off but I got some respect for it. Maybe people look to American dancing styles because that is where the music as well as the music videos come from. Booyah.
Mad props go out to my friend Geraldine for her awesome Latin dancing. Same can be said for the two girls from Spain. Damn son, they can move. Geraldine was nice enough to put up with failed attempt to Latin dance with her, but she helped by showing me different spin style moves and such. We danced in the middle of all our friends at IFP so it was definitely a good show. Hopefully there will be many more weekends filled with long nights of drinking, dancing, and fun.
I decided to call it a night about 1:30am because I was under the impression that the mertro closed around 2am. I think they remain closed until about 5 or 6am. A few people were going to stay out until morning and take the train home then. I probably should have stayed out later since I'm sure it gets really interesting as the night goes on and people move from bars to the disco clubs. I didn't feel the need to rush everything all at once so, so I'll probably save the late, late night for next weekend.
Good times, good times.
Song of the Day: I Come From a Land Down Under by Men at Work
The class is having a meet'n'greet event tonight at "Le Cafe Oz," and Australian pub. I will post more on this later, including pictures. Wish me luck!
Ok, so I couldn't really get my cell phone pictures to come out but let's just say the bar was amazing. We started out kind of chill about 6:30/7:00pm and then the night got progressively more crazy from there. The drinking culture is different here because I think people are more secure with themselves. I tried to follow along and not drink too much, but still maintain a little buzz for extra courage. The bar got insanely crowded so it was really fun dancing all around with different girls and not giving two shits about it. I was mainly just dancing because it was fun to bounce around to the music and just let loose.
But of course there were girls, oh yes, the girls. I guess over here there is a very macho culture of taking what you want when you are interested. The girls will dance with whoever has enough balls to grab them by the hands and pull them out to dance. I had to learn this over the course of the evening because I though French people were more polite than this. NOPE! Next weekend, I see a pretty girl, I take her. That's about the long and short of getting women to go dance and have fun with you. I was close to dancing with this amazing girl but then her two friends pulled an international cock-block on me and told their friend, Claire I think, that they were going to the other side of the bar. Lame. I didn't really want to put up with much bullshit so I pretty much just blew them off to go hang out with my friends from IFP.
I feel very lucky that everyone from class is so easygoing and fun to go out and drink with. People like to talk about their respective countries and cultures and they aren't really afraid to get into tough economic or social issues. Nobody is disrespectful and very open-minded. Of course people have strong opinions, but it is much more fun to discuss rather than argue with people like it is in the States.
As far as the dancing goes, Europeans are... well... pretty funny I guess. They play alot of American music like hiphop, rock mix, etc but they are so mechanical in their dancing. People jerk around really fast like they have to keep up with every beat. Me, I just go out my own pace every other beat or so. I think dancing on the 1/3 beats kind of threw some people off but I got some respect for it. Maybe people look to American dancing styles because that is where the music as well as the music videos come from. Booyah.
Mad props go out to my friend Geraldine for her awesome Latin dancing. Same can be said for the two girls from Spain. Damn son, they can move. Geraldine was nice enough to put up with failed attempt to Latin dance with her, but she helped by showing me different spin style moves and such. We danced in the middle of all our friends at IFP so it was definitely a good show. Hopefully there will be many more weekends filled with long nights of drinking, dancing, and fun.
I decided to call it a night about 1:30am because I was under the impression that the mertro closed around 2am. I think they remain closed until about 5 or 6am. A few people were going to stay out until morning and take the train home then. I probably should have stayed out later since I'm sure it gets really interesting as the night goes on and people move from bars to the disco clubs. I didn't feel the need to rush everything all at once so, so I'll probably save the late, late night for next weekend.
Good times, good times.
Song of the Day: I Come From a Land Down Under by Men at Work
Thursday, January 6, 2011
US Education is a Giant Rip-Off
So I looked over my tuition bill today and this is what I have found: A giant rip-off! First of all, look at all the repetitive charges of "academic excellence fees." These alone add up to well over $300. Next, notice all the fees that have to do with actually BEING PHYSICALLY PRESENT AT OU! When am I going to enjoy the library, the wellness programs, special events, or use the bus in Norman? NEVER, that's when. I can't believe that charge students who are studying abroad all this shit that we won't derive any benefit from. What a complete rip-off and a crock of bull.
| Spring 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Charge | Payment | Balance | |
| Exchange Program Crse Chrg | $60.00 | $60.00 <-- Really? | ||
| Crse Chrg Business | $50.00 | $50.00 | ||
| Resident Tui Grad | $973.20 | $973.20 | ||
| NR Tui Grad | $2,568.60 | $2,568.60 | ||
| Acad Fac_Life Safety fee | $105.00 | $105.00 | ||
| Academic Excell fee | $80.70 | $80.70 <-- notice here | ||
| Addtl Acad Excell fee | $60.00 | $60.00 <-- notice here it repeats | ||
| Addtl Acad Excell fee | $60.00 | $60.00 <-- notice here it repeats again | ||
| Addtl Acad Excell fee | $66.00 | $66.00 <-- notice here another repeat | ||
| Security Services fee | $21.90 | $21.90 <-- I'll need all that security? | ||
| Academic Records fee | $15.00 | $15.00 | ||
| Special Event fee | $12.00 | $12.00 <-- I'll see all those events? | ||
| Library Excell fee | $66.00 | $66.00 <-- I'll use the OU library? | ||
| Student Assess fee | $7.50 | $7.50 | ||
| Transit fee | $12.00 | $12.00 <-- I'll use OU transit? | ||
| Health_Wellness fee | $74.00 | $74.00 <-- I'll use the OU doctor? | ||
| Cultural_Rec Serv fee | $12.50 | $12.50 | ||
| Facility fee | $78.00 | $78.00 <-- I'll use those OU facilities? | ||
| Activity fee | $35.70 | $35.70 <-- I'll go to OU activities? | ||
| Connectivity fee | $88.80 | $88.80 <-- I'll connect at OU? | ||
| Graduate Advising fee | $25.00 | $25.00 | ||
| IAS Tech fee | $30.00 | $30.00 | ||
| Addtl Academic Excell fee | $72.00 | $72.00 <-- final repetition of this fee | ||
| IAS Enrichment fee | $57.00 | $57.00 | ||
| Term Charges: | $4,630.90 | |||
| Term Credits and Payments: | $0.00 | |||
| Term Balance: | $4,630.90 | |||
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
First Day of Classes
1-4-11 (RM, France)
I'm definitely glad classes have started as it will help me to get on a more permanent wake/sleep schedule. Today was our first official day of "classes" but really it was more introductions, paperwork, tours, and getting-to-know-you activities. We had a brief lecture on current issues in energy which centered around sustainability economics. There are 19 nationalities represented among 30 students.
There was one guy from Angola that had a bad ass royal blue jacket with golden buttons (think half pea coat half military jacket.) He definitely stood out among the sea of black and gray clothes. His background was in economics so we got along pretty well. I'm sure we'll have some interesting discussions. Other nationalities include: Nigeria, Romania, Azerbaijan, UK, Japan, Peru, Mexico, France, Spain, and some others I can't name off the top of my head.
I stopped at a store called Picard for obvious reasons (Captain Picard of the USS Enterprise for all you non-nerds out there) and picked up a few frozen meals. The entire store is frozen foods like soups, veggies, entrees, ice cream, appetizers, etc. It is really sweet actually. I wish they had stores like that in the US. I picked up two frozen soups and one thing of mint chocolate ice cream. Tonight I dine on Mulligatawny soup and bread.
I've actually been surprised by the number of ethnic foods I have been able to find around the area. There are Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Turkish, Moroccan, Spanish, and French restaurants. Most are out of my price range but they have a heck of a deal on sushi at Planetsushi. Three maki rolls for ten euro! That's 18 pieces of sushi!
The girl that works at the front desk at IFP is incredibly cute and I'll probably use some of my American swagger to flirt with her over the coming days. I know that she speaks at least some English so hopefully I come off as cute and not moronic when I'm talking to her. It would be fun just to get to know people who live around the area so hopefully I'll get to go and see more places, eat more foods, etc. Can't hurt to have a pretty girl as your guide either.
All in all a pretty good day, but the time zone changes continues to give me problems with sleep, eating, and digestion. You know that feeling you have when you get off a boat back onto land? That is how I feel when I close my eyes. I just feel kind of like swaying back and forth and collapsing into bed. Ha! I'm going to try my best to stay up as late as I can tonight so that I'll be able to sleep through the night without issues. I still haven't been able to resolve the issue with the bed being too hard but hopefully I'll find a memory foam pad or other type of mattress pad later this week. That's all for now, wish me luck!
Update: My neighbor and classmate, Ben, offered me an extra mattress for my bed. I'm so happy I could pass out and sleep!
I'm definitely glad classes have started as it will help me to get on a more permanent wake/sleep schedule. Today was our first official day of "classes" but really it was more introductions, paperwork, tours, and getting-to-know-you activities. We had a brief lecture on current issues in energy which centered around sustainability economics. There are 19 nationalities represented among 30 students.
There was one guy from Angola that had a bad ass royal blue jacket with golden buttons (think half pea coat half military jacket.) He definitely stood out among the sea of black and gray clothes. His background was in economics so we got along pretty well. I'm sure we'll have some interesting discussions. Other nationalities include: Nigeria, Romania, Azerbaijan, UK, Japan, Peru, Mexico, France, Spain, and some others I can't name off the top of my head.
I stopped at a store called Picard for obvious reasons (Captain Picard of the USS Enterprise for all you non-nerds out there) and picked up a few frozen meals. The entire store is frozen foods like soups, veggies, entrees, ice cream, appetizers, etc. It is really sweet actually. I wish they had stores like that in the US. I picked up two frozen soups and one thing of mint chocolate ice cream. Tonight I dine on Mulligatawny soup and bread.
I've actually been surprised by the number of ethnic foods I have been able to find around the area. There are Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Turkish, Moroccan, Spanish, and French restaurants. Most are out of my price range but they have a heck of a deal on sushi at Planetsushi. Three maki rolls for ten euro! That's 18 pieces of sushi!
The girl that works at the front desk at IFP is incredibly cute and I'll probably use some of my American swagger to flirt with her over the coming days. I know that she speaks at least some English so hopefully I come off as cute and not moronic when I'm talking to her. It would be fun just to get to know people who live around the area so hopefully I'll get to go and see more places, eat more foods, etc. Can't hurt to have a pretty girl as your guide either.
All in all a pretty good day, but the time zone changes continues to give me problems with sleep, eating, and digestion. You know that feeling you have when you get off a boat back onto land? That is how I feel when I close my eyes. I just feel kind of like swaying back and forth and collapsing into bed. Ha! I'm going to try my best to stay up as late as I can tonight so that I'll be able to sleep through the night without issues. I still haven't been able to resolve the issue with the bed being too hard but hopefully I'll find a memory foam pad or other type of mattress pad later this week. That's all for now, wish me luck!
Update: My neighbor and classmate, Ben, offered me an extra mattress for my bed. I'm so happy I could pass out and sleep!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Apartment Pictures
In order: Front Entrance; Bathroom; Desk Area; Kitchen Area; Bed and Table; Views from Window
A Shitty Experience (Literally)
1-3-11 (RM, France)
Huzzah! I finally have access to the internet, let all of nerddom rejoice in my glorious return to the interwebs. This is pretty much the only piece of good news I have to report so far. However, another piece of good news is that my OU classmate, Ben, moved in next door to me today. At least there is another English speaker around to hang out with.
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW
I don't think I was drinking enough water yesterday or eating enough food. Whatever it was, I was really sick to my stomach last night. I had a pounding headache from about midnight to 6am and was barely able to get any sleep. I spent half the night on the toilet and the other half on my hard, unforgiving slab they call a "bed." Worst of all, all the markets were closed the past few days and the one corner store that has stayed open doesn't sell toilet paper. Essentially, going to the bathroom last night was an ordeal of using the toilet then using the shower to wash off. I had to suffer through this process at least 5 times during the night. Talk about a shitty was to start off the week.
END GRAPHIC CONTENT
Carrefour (the neighborhood market) was finally open today so I stocked up on some basics like bread, cured meats, cheese, tuna, fruit, crackers, 7-up, and TOILET PAPER! I don't know what I was happier about, getting some much needed food or getting the much, much needed toilet paper. I spent the rest of the day drinking 7-up, trying to stay hydrated, and listening to my mp3 book.
My hope is that things will start to get better as I get more used to the time zone difference. Also, I think being on a more regular schedule with classes will definitely help me feel more comfortable, like I have a purpose other than just trying to survive. My advice to anyone is don't move or visit another country without having a definite purpose or goal in mind. My goal for the week is to get on a better sleeping/eating schedule so that I can try to make it into Paris this weekend for some touristy activities. Maybe I'll hit up some of the indoor museums.
Song (mp3) of the day: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand part 10/31
Huzzah! I finally have access to the internet, let all of nerddom rejoice in my glorious return to the interwebs. This is pretty much the only piece of good news I have to report so far. However, another piece of good news is that my OU classmate, Ben, moved in next door to me today. At least there is another English speaker around to hang out with.
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW
I don't think I was drinking enough water yesterday or eating enough food. Whatever it was, I was really sick to my stomach last night. I had a pounding headache from about midnight to 6am and was barely able to get any sleep. I spent half the night on the toilet and the other half on my hard, unforgiving slab they call a "bed." Worst of all, all the markets were closed the past few days and the one corner store that has stayed open doesn't sell toilet paper. Essentially, going to the bathroom last night was an ordeal of using the toilet then using the shower to wash off. I had to suffer through this process at least 5 times during the night. Talk about a shitty was to start off the week.
END GRAPHIC CONTENT
Carrefour (the neighborhood market) was finally open today so I stocked up on some basics like bread, cured meats, cheese, tuna, fruit, crackers, 7-up, and TOILET PAPER! I don't know what I was happier about, getting some much needed food or getting the much, much needed toilet paper. I spent the rest of the day drinking 7-up, trying to stay hydrated, and listening to my mp3 book.
My hope is that things will start to get better as I get more used to the time zone difference. Also, I think being on a more regular schedule with classes will definitely help me feel more comfortable, like I have a purpose other than just trying to survive. My advice to anyone is don't move or visit another country without having a definite purpose or goal in mind. My goal for the week is to get on a better sleeping/eating schedule so that I can try to make it into Paris this weekend for some touristy activities. Maybe I'll hit up some of the indoor museums.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Off to a Rough Start
1-1-11 ("RM",France)
Hello everyone! I apologize for not being in contact more today but I have no yet figured out a way to get permanent internet access. Right now I am sitting in the hotel I stayed at a couple of nights ago and using their free wi-fi. It will probably be at least 2-3 more days until I figure out how to get my own internet at the apartment.
I was able to move into my apartment yesterday around 10am. The owner helped me inspect the room and had me sign some documents. I have no idea what I was signing but I'm pretty sure the bill is going to be paid through IFP. I haven't really been able to figure out how to pay rent so I'm going to assume it is paid through the school.
Last night I went to my first restaurant and ordered a kebab sandwich with fries and a soda. There were some language barriers when it came to ordering what vegetables I wanted on the sandwich but I tried to signal to the cashier that I wanted everything (lettuce, tomato, and onions) on it. The chicken kebab was actually really good. The meat was extremely tender and juicy and had a lot of flavor. The coke zero tasted better than I would have though it would. Last time I had foreign coke (in Britain), it tasted really bad.
Craving internet access, I made my down to McDonalds for dinner. I had le Big Mac, pomme-frite, and le Coca zero. Ordering fast food was easy and I think the cashier spoke a little English. The whole point of this trip was to gain internet access but I wasn't able to connect to the network. Maybe I was doing it wrong. Oh well.
Anyway, I'm doing ok but not great. I haven't met any other IFP students yet as my apartments are about 25 minutes walk from campus and the other residence. I might try to make my way over there tonight to see if other IFP guys from OU are around. I'll be in contact only sparingly until I get internet access in my apartment.
Song of the Day: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand Part 1/32
Hello everyone! I apologize for not being in contact more today but I have no yet figured out a way to get permanent internet access. Right now I am sitting in the hotel I stayed at a couple of nights ago and using their free wi-fi. It will probably be at least 2-3 more days until I figure out how to get my own internet at the apartment.
I was able to move into my apartment yesterday around 10am. The owner helped me inspect the room and had me sign some documents. I have no idea what I was signing but I'm pretty sure the bill is going to be paid through IFP. I haven't really been able to figure out how to pay rent so I'm going to assume it is paid through the school.
Last night I went to my first restaurant and ordered a kebab sandwich with fries and a soda. There were some language barriers when it came to ordering what vegetables I wanted on the sandwich but I tried to signal to the cashier that I wanted everything (lettuce, tomato, and onions) on it. The chicken kebab was actually really good. The meat was extremely tender and juicy and had a lot of flavor. The coke zero tasted better than I would have though it would. Last time I had foreign coke (in Britain), it tasted really bad.
Craving internet access, I made my down to McDonalds for dinner. I had le Big Mac, pomme-frite, and le Coca zero. Ordering fast food was easy and I think the cashier spoke a little English. The whole point of this trip was to gain internet access but I wasn't able to connect to the network. Maybe I was doing it wrong. Oh well.
Anyway, I'm doing ok but not great. I haven't met any other IFP students yet as my apartments are about 25 minutes walk from campus and the other residence. I might try to make my way over there tonight to see if other IFP guys from OU are around. I'll be in contact only sparingly until I get internet access in my apartment.
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