So, I've realized that i've been on hiatus for quiet some time. But that's to be expected of me adapting to situations and new experiences in my life. But I am here in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Three weeks have gone by and I feel finally ready to share what I've been doing.
Week one was a bit of a challenge. Despite not knowing anyone in Albuquerque except Bob and Suz, they introduced me to so many people that live their lives how they love to live.... making art or being a part of it in some form. I've met costumers, jewelers, knife makers, ninja warriors, sculptors, heard stories from actors and artists alike. Which lead me to where I am now.
Week one was spent on a ballooning crew for 5 days. A regiment. Everyday i'd wake up at 4 am to get myself ready for a day of ballooning. The International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque is the most photographed event in the world. Being an amateur enthusiast of photography I felt that it was something I needed to be a part of but not solely for the photos. It was being a part of so much more. At this point in time in my life I'd be at preseason practice for basketball. The NCAA starts preseason practice in September and goes till a time in October where real practice starts. I felt I was missing that part of my life this year a little bit, but I realize now that in true form, I was a part of a team. New people, new experiences everyday. My team was all very new to me. I didn't know a single person. But my next door neighbor, Rachel, took me under her wings and showed me a totally different world.
Hot air balloons.
Now if you're from the midwest like I am, you'd realize that hit air ballooning is somewhat of a figment of the imagination. I got to live it. I dont particularly consider myself a morning person but I know when there is something too good to pass up. Judy- our pilot, who happens to be the municipal judge of Albuquerque, couldn't have been more welcoming. The first morning I was sitting at breakfast eating breakfast burritos in the crew and pilots tent with our crew, Judy made a point to include me in everything that was going on. While everyone was chatting and finishing their food she said "want to come see what the weather is like today with me?" Inside I had no problem getting up to find out what it was all really about.
The mornings usually started as this: We'd get to the field. Meet in the tent for breakfast and everyone would have something to tell each other. It was all very strange to me at first, being a 22 year old amongst people in their 40's 50's and 60's on my team, to get things together. To be honest I was the youngest in the bunch but there were younger people who came along for a similar experience. A crew memeber Ken and his grandson were both their the first day i started, totally unexpected ot meet anyone my age, but were there for the ballooning just like I was.
My first day was total excitement. As Rachel would say.. I experienced the "thrill of the chase"-- relating to the sheer experience of being a part of a balloon crew and getting to set and take down the balloon. Our part that day was to chase and follow the pilot and her passenger, that day being my very favorite person on the crew, Ned, from West Lafayette, Indiana. I got to see the inside workings of a hot air balloon team and even got to be a part of it.
Day two was no different from day one. I woke up @ 4 am to greet Rachel at my front gate and go meet the rest of the crew to caravan into the fiesta field. We ate breakfast et al. That day was a competition day where balloonists would compete in different events to try and win prizes such as $200 or even a new car. Judy decided that the weather was too risky to even put the balloon up that day so we didn't. I was adjusting to work with Suz so I felt compelled to go home and try to work some instead of jsut playing.
I continued crewing the rest of week only to be totally humbled by the experience of "flying with out wings" for the first time in my life. Being above the ground so many thousand feet made me feel things in a different light. When we were trying to find a place to land... the winds stayed steady and fast. Our landing would've been so much different if kind fellow balloonist didn't literally lift us up. We landed safely in a parking lot where 5 other balloons landed shortly after us and every person around lent a helping hand. Something I really liked to see. It reassured me that I was supposed to be here, even by the kindness of strangers. Later that afternoon during the normal tailgate after flight I was inducted into the Wicker Clan by hearing the story of ballooning and being blessed with an Irish prayer. In the Irish fashion, there was drinking involved... but with Champagne.... how French.
We listen to the story about the first flight of the hot air balloonist which really existed only of a turkey, a duck and a goat. Started in all in France-- how nostalgic of me.. (GEORGE). At the end of the story the whole wicker clan says an irish prayer and "blesses you" as you drink champagne from a plastic cup with out hands and ultimately pour water over your head as you're trying to drink while saying, "don't spill!"
What an amazing first week.
The second was a bit more frustrating for me.
I realized that I can't be good at everything and that I'm still learning and will constantly be learning in my life. I feel that it's the only day way of doing it.
Week three proposed a challenge for me: A visitor and work... when I work from home. My dear friend Jake came for a visit a few days earlier then expected and it realy put things into perspective for me.... I'm here to do what I'm here to do... work...learn and be a part of a different way of life and had a hard time separating this for the most part. I'm glad that it was Jake I was with because he had no object to me doing what I needed to do during the week despite my feeling of being a "bad hostess" because I couldn't cater to him. But he's a willing and able human. Thanks Jake, for being able to see past the surface of what most would expect from a visit.
Right now I feel very willing and able to do anything and everything especially with the help from my "landlords" or "bosses".. but those words to me don't seem to fit how Bob and Suz have taken me in. I feel really a part of their family. They like having me around and I like being around with them. I have so much to learn from them-- and I know their never ending life experience is going to give me a lot of what I need for the future.
Tomorrow is going to be an exciting day. I get to see a bronze pour for the first time in my life.. a feat that Bob describes as "spectacular". Then a costume party hosted by Suz's son and fiancee, her son who i've known my whole life. I'm very excited to continue to be a part of this world that I've found here in Albuquerque.
Chicago-- i still love you, but I'm doing what needs to be done.
Thanks for being so supportive the past few weeks... Bob, Suz, Mal, Sam, Jake, Sheila, Megan, Britt, Brandon, Kenny and Kelly. you've all really helped me.
Now-- HERE WE GO! I'm ready to continue. Until next post.
Peace and much love,
kmb
Friday, October 22, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
How Far We Travel in Life matters far less than those we meet along the way
So this entry is reallllyyyyyy over due. But I found my journal from Paris/Amsterdam and decided these posts needed to go up.
The beginning of the journal are letters etc I never sent, but that's kind of like me.. I write letters and never send them.
"I'm never traveling with out my passport again" Katherine Lauri Johnson
10/31
Amsterdam
I'm sitting at the Centraal Station with Katherine, O'neill and Charley. The space around us is incredible. The roof is on massive arch.. the whole place is amazing. This is pretty much our day. We [Katherine and I] woke up, walked to meet the guys and hung in the book store for about a half hour. I purchased, "My Name is Charles Saatchi and I'm an artaholic". Couldn't have found a book more suited for me in France. We had to make the usual debate about food. (just had the most glorious sugar waffle). I saw Subway and didn't wanna fuss. Katherine got a hot dog. We found the french fry place for Charley and then went on the search for a coffee shop. Walked near Daam Square and its neighboring areas we found really crazy places. Today is Halloween and I'll be spending it on a train. Maybe alone, I might be a totally different bus which I have a feeling is going to happen but whatever. I'll be in Paris tomorrow. Paris, I really can't wait to see you. Tomorrow we'll be together but I have to leae after a while back to Aix. It'll be wonderful to see Jade, Jacob and Alexis. My life here can't really be beat. I'm so ready to start a life- but then I ho and what happens? I told Charley last night how I'm afraid to go home because the drinking is going to be so strange to me especially with my friends. I'm just afraid that going away will have changed so many things- but at the same time I needed do this. Tomorrow is our first game of the season!! It's so weird that I'm not going to be there and they're at SIUC. I really truly miss being around my bball family but it's a bit a part of growing up. I really want to Meg about moving to Denver. It's scary but I'm really graduating. I don't know how I'm really going to handle that... just another journey ahead, I suppose.
Just some random prose..
"Our seating changed from wall table to chill area to the coolest box area for smoking hookah near the front window. I drank a beer and watched soccer highlights and day dreamed about the boots that girl was wearing. Everyone [enter TGUK- No way to begin] was kind of doing their own thing when I saw Nick walking past on the street. O'neill ran out in so much excitement. The two of them and Nick's friend Kat came in and sat with us. I feel like the weekend was good for us and came full circle."
"The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty to think, to feel and do as one pleases."
Amsterdam... WHOA! We arrived last Tuesday evning and now we're heading home to Aix. When Katherine and I arrived in Amsterdam we took the 2 tram to Leidseplein. We got off to find out Hostel. Once that happened I was so realy to find a coffee shop and we did not too far from Leidseplein. We went back to the Hostel for beers and hanging out with some of the people staying at the Hostel. I met two guys who went to Stagg and grew up in Palos. It was seriously such a small world. I also met this guy from Estonia, the first Estonian to enter my life! He was really cool and had been traveling for about a year.
"since i've been here I've never felt more meditative then when sitting in front of a Titian"
"we're not tourists, we're fucking FRENCH!"- Mary Hamilton
"Etonnante peinture, sans dessin et sans bord, critique sans parole ou l'art sans le secours des forms sans vignette sans anecdotte sand fable, sans allegories corps et sans visage par le seule vertu des ton n'est plus qu'effusion lyricisme ou le coeur se raconte se livre change ses emotions"- Les Nympheas
11/15/09
Paris
It's really interesting leaving Paris. I truly don't feel like I've gotten my fix. I saw the Eiffel towe but Really didn't see it. But what I see was something totally different then what most would see. We staying in the 5eme Arrondissment. Our hostel was great. Pretty nice for a hostel Jamin, Katherine and Joy were my roomates. I thought it was going to be hard at first but they were all great. Our first day we had some train problems leaving Aix so we lost a few hours. Once we arrived in Paris, we made our way to the Grande Palais for the Renoir exhibit. I've never seen Renoir in person so it was exiting to be going. My entry group was Kate, Nick and Joy or "team sexy" as we called ourselves. Ha. We were able to walk arond for a bit before our entrance time. Sandwiches were desperately needed because we didn't have time to eat so, we went back to the metro station and got some food and mosied along. We walked toward the place where Napoleon was buried over the most beautiful bridge above the Seine. We noticed a few "l'espaces vertes" and watched the guys playing rugby rough one another up while the ball was in play. And we even found some inviting grass to lay on.
We returned to the Grande Palais and entered the exhibit. I fell in love with one painting in particular. Country Dance (Aline Charigot and Paul Lhote). The way this woman is painted really makes me feel like she's truly happy in the arms of the man holding her. She's laughing. The way she looks over his shoulder makes me wish i were this girl and the way the man (paul) holding her is paying careful attention-- absolutely made me fall in love with him and this painting. The unity of the exhibit was great. I love the photos of Renoir's life.
We headed back to the Hostel to get some awesome college dorm food. haha. We had diiner and after all went to bed. The first night's sleep was amazzinnnggg!
The next two days were spent at the Louvre. I wasn't quite sure what to expect becuase I'd never been before. The quarter outside was huge. We walked thru a square to get to the main entrance. Ahead you'd see the massive arches that date back a few years, the most incredible fountain; it was striking even though it wasn't projecting water. You could seriously feel grandeur that the Louvre holds even on the outside.
We saw Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese exhibitand looked at Titian that was maybe a Giorgioni through the morning session. The afternoon was dedicated to Rembrandt's "bathshiva". It's incredible how far you can arrive in a painting by looking, seeing and discussing what's going on by differences in color form subject even light.
After the Louvre, John and Alan took us to a pub in St. Germaine for a post work beer. After the pub we walked a long the river. Nick, O'Neill and I decided we needed to have a birthday beer for (for nick) by the Seine. And by birthday beer I mean we went to a convenient store and bought a few and shot gunned them. :) We made it dinner a little bit late but everoyne had gotten our food for us- what sweethearts! Since it was Nick's birthday Mary surprised him with a cake- Mary is awesome. After dinner some us decided to go to Notre Dame and hang out. Martha's friend Zoey is studying in Paris for the semester so she came to meet us. We hung out there for a few hours then walked home. Listening to Sigur Ros' album ( ) along the Seine was one of the most incredible experience of my trip. Paris is truly magical even with out music but when you have the right song and open your eyes to what's around you - you find meaning to so many things. Music is a language that I speak and it speaks loud and clear to me.
Friday morning we were at the Louvre again. We split into two different groups. Martha, Jamin Nick Joy and I were with John. We visiting the Marquis by Goya and then Delacroix's sketch of "The massacre at Constantanople". Then saw the final version in the great big rooms. THE LOUVRE IS INCREDIBLE [Getting rid of the old feelings, the old way of thinking.]
I knew how extensive and amazing their collection is but I never thought of how amazing it would be to stand in front of these pieces and dissect them as if they were a worm in 7th grade Bio lab.
We left the Louvre around midday and headed dwon along the river towards our afternoon session @ Musee D'Orsay.
We bough sandwiches and ate on the steps of the D'orsay. We broked into small groups again for the afternoon. I was having a really hard time concentrating and standing in one place at a time. My legs kind of hated me because I'd been running a lot before Paris and forgot to bring my running shoes- so they were pretty restless. We looked at Delacroix, Lautrec and Van Gogh. Because I was having a hard time concentrating and was in a very small room where the Lautrec, I had a small panic attack. It was kind of scary but i got out of it. Our afternoon ended in front of some Daumier sculptures. I thought it was fitting to do a cartwheel in the museum at the end of the day.
Mary, Martha and I went for a glass of wine in St. Germaine. It was so nice to se a little big of a different side of Paris wtih two great friends who know the city. We walked back for dinner ended up staying in and playing cards in the boys room. Saturday morning we were at the D'Osay again. small group assignments were given. My group looked at Monet's "Camille". That painting was so incredibly powerful. I ended up sobbing in front of it. It was a very tender moment towards the end of our session. Our second painting of the morning was a Cezanne "Old Man"-- it was a painting with an amazing color palette. Cezanne has a way of applyin paint to canvas that's soft and harmonious.
The afternoon was spent at the l'Orangerie. I'd neve seen such an amazing exhibit in my life. The cool part of the afternoon was that we were given an assignment to concsider explore and discuss the relationships of this work by Monet. (The waterlillies). To set the scene you walk into a normal entrace of a museum. We walked to where the exhibit was after receiving out tickets. The first room was a round room with small verticle slits on either end. There were two entrances to the exhibit. Either door would bring you to the first room and it hit that you you're looking at these huge panels of color and you start to recognize that you're seeing Monet's "Les Nympheas". The white surrings of the oval shaped roomsgive your attention to the paintings. The first room held panels that were seemingly done @ different times of day and different times of the year. After spending time in front of the nymphs in the first room, I moved to the second and found myself in awe. The sound was more open because the room was larger and the painting were almost able a conducive series. Walking around the room was like walking around an island. I took a few laps and realized a person could go crazy in this room if they were moving around at a rather quick pace. But walking around the room you were able to get a feeling of being right next to this body of water. Being at the Orangerie and having been to Giverny where these were painted gave two very different experiences but all in all both unique and memorable.
After the Orangerie some of us went back to the hostel. It was 2 day before my birthday they surpsied me with a raspberry tart cake from Paul to celebrate. I felt really special. We opened a few bottles of wine after dinner, played some cards and formulated a plan for the night. We went to a bar called Pop Off in the Murait to meet Martha's friend Zoey. We stopped for birthday beer along the way thanks to Nick. We got a pitcher and the night was off. Good conversation and dancing with some of the greatest people I know couldn't have been a better birthday. Sunday morning we went to Musee Monmartent Monet in a pretty nice area near the Eiffel Tower. We had a great last morning looking at more Monet. I was kind of bummed because I had to leave early to catch my train to geneva to meet my International Relations class.
(insert train ride to Switzerland)
I met Meg and some of the other girls when I arrived in Switzerland. We had a great dinner then went back to the Hostel. I was pretty whacked out because I was so tired. Monday we went to the ICRC, The UN and Botanical Gardens and on Tuesday to the International Office of Migration. I am on the train back to Marseille and I'm still exhausted. I'm going to London this weekend which I'm excited about. I get to see Mike, Maz, Sal, Rob and Franny. Steve and Laura may or may not be there which is a bymmer but It'll be a great trip either way. Really looking forward to it. Tonight I'm going for a beer with Nick and Thusday is CURRY NIGHT!!
...that's just what I wrote in my journal because I know i was going to be busy after returning from Paris... hence why it's taken me a year to put this up!
The beginning of the journal are letters etc I never sent, but that's kind of like me.. I write letters and never send them.
"I'm never traveling with out my passport again" Katherine Lauri Johnson
10/31
Amsterdam
I'm sitting at the Centraal Station with Katherine, O'neill and Charley. The space around us is incredible. The roof is on massive arch.. the whole place is amazing. This is pretty much our day. We [Katherine and I] woke up, walked to meet the guys and hung in the book store for about a half hour. I purchased, "My Name is Charles Saatchi and I'm an artaholic". Couldn't have found a book more suited for me in France. We had to make the usual debate about food. (just had the most glorious sugar waffle). I saw Subway and didn't wanna fuss. Katherine got a hot dog. We found the french fry place for Charley and then went on the search for a coffee shop. Walked near Daam Square and its neighboring areas we found really crazy places. Today is Halloween and I'll be spending it on a train. Maybe alone, I might be a totally different bus which I have a feeling is going to happen but whatever. I'll be in Paris tomorrow. Paris, I really can't wait to see you. Tomorrow we'll be together but I have to leae after a while back to Aix. It'll be wonderful to see Jade, Jacob and Alexis. My life here can't really be beat. I'm so ready to start a life- but then I ho and what happens? I told Charley last night how I'm afraid to go home because the drinking is going to be so strange to me especially with my friends. I'm just afraid that going away will have changed so many things- but at the same time I needed do this. Tomorrow is our first game of the season!! It's so weird that I'm not going to be there and they're at SIUC. I really truly miss being around my bball family but it's a bit a part of growing up. I really want to Meg about moving to Denver. It's scary but I'm really graduating. I don't know how I'm really going to handle that... just another journey ahead, I suppose.
Just some random prose..
"Our seating changed from wall table to chill area to the coolest box area for smoking hookah near the front window. I drank a beer and watched soccer highlights and day dreamed about the boots that girl was wearing. Everyone [enter TGUK- No way to begin] was kind of doing their own thing when I saw Nick walking past on the street. O'neill ran out in so much excitement. The two of them and Nick's friend Kat came in and sat with us. I feel like the weekend was good for us and came full circle."
"The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty to think, to feel and do as one pleases."
Amsterdam... WHOA! We arrived last Tuesday evning and now we're heading home to Aix. When Katherine and I arrived in Amsterdam we took the 2 tram to Leidseplein. We got off to find out Hostel. Once that happened I was so realy to find a coffee shop and we did not too far from Leidseplein. We went back to the Hostel for beers and hanging out with some of the people staying at the Hostel. I met two guys who went to Stagg and grew up in Palos. It was seriously such a small world. I also met this guy from Estonia, the first Estonian to enter my life! He was really cool and had been traveling for about a year.
"since i've been here I've never felt more meditative then when sitting in front of a Titian"
"we're not tourists, we're fucking FRENCH!"- Mary Hamilton
"Etonnante peinture, sans dessin et sans bord, critique sans parole ou l'art sans le secours des forms sans vignette sans anecdotte sand fable, sans allegories corps et sans visage par le seule vertu des ton n'est plus qu'effusion lyricisme ou le coeur se raconte se livre change ses emotions"- Les Nympheas
11/15/09
Paris
It's really interesting leaving Paris. I truly don't feel like I've gotten my fix. I saw the Eiffel towe but Really didn't see it. But what I see was something totally different then what most would see. We staying in the 5eme Arrondissment. Our hostel was great. Pretty nice for a hostel Jamin, Katherine and Joy were my roomates. I thought it was going to be hard at first but they were all great. Our first day we had some train problems leaving Aix so we lost a few hours. Once we arrived in Paris, we made our way to the Grande Palais for the Renoir exhibit. I've never seen Renoir in person so it was exiting to be going. My entry group was Kate, Nick and Joy or "team sexy" as we called ourselves. Ha. We were able to walk arond for a bit before our entrance time. Sandwiches were desperately needed because we didn't have time to eat so, we went back to the metro station and got some food and mosied along. We walked toward the place where Napoleon was buried over the most beautiful bridge above the Seine. We noticed a few "l'espaces vertes" and watched the guys playing rugby rough one another up while the ball was in play. And we even found some inviting grass to lay on.
We returned to the Grande Palais and entered the exhibit. I fell in love with one painting in particular. Country Dance (Aline Charigot and Paul Lhote). The way this woman is painted really makes me feel like she's truly happy in the arms of the man holding her. She's laughing. The way she looks over his shoulder makes me wish i were this girl and the way the man (paul) holding her is paying careful attention-- absolutely made me fall in love with him and this painting. The unity of the exhibit was great. I love the photos of Renoir's life.
We headed back to the Hostel to get some awesome college dorm food. haha. We had diiner and after all went to bed. The first night's sleep was amazzinnnggg!
The next two days were spent at the Louvre. I wasn't quite sure what to expect becuase I'd never been before. The quarter outside was huge. We walked thru a square to get to the main entrance. Ahead you'd see the massive arches that date back a few years, the most incredible fountain; it was striking even though it wasn't projecting water. You could seriously feel grandeur that the Louvre holds even on the outside.
We saw Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese exhibitand looked at Titian that was maybe a Giorgioni through the morning session. The afternoon was dedicated to Rembrandt's "bathshiva". It's incredible how far you can arrive in a painting by looking, seeing and discussing what's going on by differences in color form subject even light.
After the Louvre, John and Alan took us to a pub in St. Germaine for a post work beer. After the pub we walked a long the river. Nick, O'Neill and I decided we needed to have a birthday beer for (for nick) by the Seine. And by birthday beer I mean we went to a convenient store and bought a few and shot gunned them. :) We made it dinner a little bit late but everoyne had gotten our food for us- what sweethearts! Since it was Nick's birthday Mary surprised him with a cake- Mary is awesome. After dinner some us decided to go to Notre Dame and hang out. Martha's friend Zoey is studying in Paris for the semester so she came to meet us. We hung out there for a few hours then walked home. Listening to Sigur Ros' album ( ) along the Seine was one of the most incredible experience of my trip. Paris is truly magical even with out music but when you have the right song and open your eyes to what's around you - you find meaning to so many things. Music is a language that I speak and it speaks loud and clear to me.
Friday morning we were at the Louvre again. We split into two different groups. Martha, Jamin Nick Joy and I were with John. We visiting the Marquis by Goya and then Delacroix's sketch of "The massacre at Constantanople". Then saw the final version in the great big rooms. THE LOUVRE IS INCREDIBLE [Getting rid of the old feelings, the old way of thinking.]
I knew how extensive and amazing their collection is but I never thought of how amazing it would be to stand in front of these pieces and dissect them as if they were a worm in 7th grade Bio lab.
We left the Louvre around midday and headed dwon along the river towards our afternoon session @ Musee D'Orsay.
We bough sandwiches and ate on the steps of the D'orsay. We broked into small groups again for the afternoon. I was having a really hard time concentrating and standing in one place at a time. My legs kind of hated me because I'd been running a lot before Paris and forgot to bring my running shoes- so they were pretty restless. We looked at Delacroix, Lautrec and Van Gogh. Because I was having a hard time concentrating and was in a very small room where the Lautrec, I had a small panic attack. It was kind of scary but i got out of it. Our afternoon ended in front of some Daumier sculptures. I thought it was fitting to do a cartwheel in the museum at the end of the day.
Mary, Martha and I went for a glass of wine in St. Germaine. It was so nice to se a little big of a different side of Paris wtih two great friends who know the city. We walked back for dinner ended up staying in and playing cards in the boys room. Saturday morning we were at the D'Osay again. small group assignments were given. My group looked at Monet's "Camille". That painting was so incredibly powerful. I ended up sobbing in front of it. It was a very tender moment towards the end of our session. Our second painting of the morning was a Cezanne "Old Man"-- it was a painting with an amazing color palette. Cezanne has a way of applyin paint to canvas that's soft and harmonious.
The afternoon was spent at the l'Orangerie. I'd neve seen such an amazing exhibit in my life. The cool part of the afternoon was that we were given an assignment to concsider explore and discuss the relationships of this work by Monet. (The waterlillies). To set the scene you walk into a normal entrace of a museum. We walked to where the exhibit was after receiving out tickets. The first room was a round room with small verticle slits on either end. There were two entrances to the exhibit. Either door would bring you to the first room and it hit that you you're looking at these huge panels of color and you start to recognize that you're seeing Monet's "Les Nympheas". The white surrings of the oval shaped roomsgive your attention to the paintings. The first room held panels that were seemingly done @ different times of day and different times of the year. After spending time in front of the nymphs in the first room, I moved to the second and found myself in awe. The sound was more open because the room was larger and the painting were almost able a conducive series. Walking around the room was like walking around an island. I took a few laps and realized a person could go crazy in this room if they were moving around at a rather quick pace. But walking around the room you were able to get a feeling of being right next to this body of water. Being at the Orangerie and having been to Giverny where these were painted gave two very different experiences but all in all both unique and memorable.
After the Orangerie some of us went back to the hostel. It was 2 day before my birthday they surpsied me with a raspberry tart cake from Paul to celebrate. I felt really special. We opened a few bottles of wine after dinner, played some cards and formulated a plan for the night. We went to a bar called Pop Off in the Murait to meet Martha's friend Zoey. We stopped for birthday beer along the way thanks to Nick. We got a pitcher and the night was off. Good conversation and dancing with some of the greatest people I know couldn't have been a better birthday. Sunday morning we went to Musee Monmartent Monet in a pretty nice area near the Eiffel Tower. We had a great last morning looking at more Monet. I was kind of bummed because I had to leave early to catch my train to geneva to meet my International Relations class.
(insert train ride to Switzerland)
I met Meg and some of the other girls when I arrived in Switzerland. We had a great dinner then went back to the Hostel. I was pretty whacked out because I was so tired. Monday we went to the ICRC, The UN and Botanical Gardens and on Tuesday to the International Office of Migration. I am on the train back to Marseille and I'm still exhausted. I'm going to London this weekend which I'm excited about. I get to see Mike, Maz, Sal, Rob and Franny. Steve and Laura may or may not be there which is a bymmer but It'll be a great trip either way. Really looking forward to it. Tonight I'm going for a beer with Nick and Thusday is CURRY NIGHT!!
...that's just what I wrote in my journal because I know i was going to be busy after returning from Paris... hence why it's taken me a year to put this up!
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