Aruba

This originally started as a Paris blog, but I've decided to start writing about all my travels on it. I recently had the pleasure of taking an extended cruise- it was fabulous! There is- literally- something for everyone on a cruise, and as we were traveling with my boyfriend's family, this ended up being ideal. Our cruise was to the southern Caribbean- also amazing! I highly recommend Aruba, but curaçao wasn't bad, either (and I now know it's pronounced "cuh-ruh-sowww", rhymes with owww). So cruises are even educational...

Sicko...

The last time I was in Paris, nearly 10 years ago, I became suddenly quite ill. There is nothing worse than sickness while traveling, especially in a foreign country where you are not fluent in the language. An internal battle raged- do I ditch out on the month of European travel that we had been planning for months (leaving my college roommate, my travel companion, to go it alone), or do I stick it out, with a face looking like a lopsided harlequin? I chose to weather the storm, mostly because I had already saved, planned, and yearned for this trip and it seemed such a defeat to give up on it in the 2nd week as long as I could still walk. I sat on the steps leading away from Sacre Coeur in Montmartre and cried in the summer rain because I was torn. But I made my decision: I was in Paris, darnit!, and I would enjoy it no matter what.

So, I'm happy to say that I survived, even though to this day I look at pictures from my first time in the city and wonder how I did it looking like I did. Freakish though I felt on the the outside, in a city where every girl is beautiful, slim, charming, and smirking, on the inside, it was exhilarating to know that even mere physical weakness could not stop me from thoroughly enjoying my trip. I look back on the decision to stay and finish the journey, and realize that the travel challenges we face and how we respond to them is one of the major perks of globe-hopping. After all, if everything went smoothly, where would the challenge, and therefore the growth, be? It is during the lost-luggage, nausea-inducing, face-freezing, wire-crossing, sign-misunderstanding, and rude-metro-clerk-meeting experiences that travel evolves from the mundane routines and drudgery of the real world to marking our most memorable adventures. Where is the excitement if you don't have one or two travel struggles per trip? On a positive note, I found that in my Bell's-Palsy-stricken state, I could smirk with the best of the French.

Comparatively, at least regarding health, this last trip was a breeze. Taking photographs and not worrying about which side of my face was showing (was it the frozen-statue side, or the "normal" side?) felt like heaven. So, of course, I snapped so many pictures that it became quite excessive, I'm afraid. Many of them were awful (of course, I am no trained photographer). However, the one above, a view of a Marais courtyard from outside the gate- illustrating the idea of different perspectives- was a happy accident. In my defense, I allowed myself to take as many pictures as possible to work through the joy of seeing everything from healthy eyes, but to also take advantage of another positive development this time around- the advanced technology of the digital camera. In the end, one thing my first experience in Paris taught me, is not to waste time wishing that you had taken a picture, but instead, to follow through and take the time to do it. Who knows when the opportunity will present itself again- and I don't want to miss out on amazing memories just because a few obstacles stand in my way. A lesson I learned since I have experienced Paris both from the sicko perspective and a healthy one.

Back to School...instead of Back to Paris

Well, how I wish I was headed back to Paris, but, unfortunately, I am not. Instead, I am headed back to the air conditioning that keeps breaking, less people doing more work, lesson-planning, grading, and making snap decisions, the meeting of new students, the reaquainting with old students, and all the rest that goes along with that time known as Back to School. However, to cope, in my head I have found myself frequently drifting back to that place that always seems magical and rose-colored (even in the dead of winter, which was when I visited it last)...Paris. Yes, Paris has imperfections, but they always seem overshadowed by something amazing. The city's smoke and smog are blotted out by the Chartres cathedral and village...the mind-numbing cold and wind are traded for glasses of wine and cups of French roast coffee in a warm, snug cafe...the colors of gypsies and other members of the city's poor extinguished by the warm, welcoming light inside of Notre Dame or the Louvre. It is remembering this- that the farther I get away from my trip, the more I realize the true lessons learned are ones that can apply to life wherever I am. So, right now, in order to help get through what I know will be a whirlwind couple of weeks, are the thoughts I will try to have to overshadow the possible negative thinking that can overwhelm me at the start of the school year. To the air conditioning that doesn't work, I think of the water weight I am losing by sweating it out in my classroom...to the budget cuts and the loss of valuable teachers and staff, I remember that I am grateful for my job and that there might be bigger and better opportunities found in trimming budgets, and maybe it'll give me a chance to learn something new!...to the lesson-planning, grading, and decision-making, I know that the more I do it, the easier, better organized, and more efficient I become...to the new students, I know that there will be wonderful young people who I can help, encourage, and show something new and exciting in the world...to my old students, I am excited to continue on our journey together, and hope we can all grow like we did last year.

paris...finally

Well, since the last couple of days at home included getting ready for the trip and, oh, I don't know, a little thing called CHRISTMAS...it actually seemed like I would never make it here...but I did! as I was taking the shuttle from the airport, the driver and I were chatting, me in broken (very, very broken) French, and he in slightly less broken English, about how it now was a reality that I am in Paris on the day after Christmas. Yeah, nothing like driving by the Arc de Triomph, down the Champs Elysees, and seeing an itsy bitsy "Tour" in the distance while experiencing your first hour in Paris to drive that point home.

So, yes, after a drama-filled day of flying on Christmas (never, EVER think flying on Christmas day is an easy feat...it's not!), I have made it to Paris. It is freakin' cold (4 degrees Celsius when I arrived, which you can convert on my nifty little converter so you know how cold it is on the US system), but there are lights EVERYWHERE. And yes, when I was here before, in the summer, I noticed how well-lit Paris was, but times that by about 100, and that's how it is during the season of Noel. It truly is the City of Lights, and everyone is in a holiday mood. Joyeux Noel!

So, here is my reading material for my layover in Philly, and my drink of choice (diet pepsi, of course). So far, so good, except for the evil chaos that erupted at LAX before I had even gotten on the plane (and NO, I was NOT late). I was completely early, it was their fault, and I have eyewitnesses to prove it, about 20 of us almost didn't make it on our flight to Philly due to US Airways lack of organization and ability to post signage...sigh! But, sometimes the best trips start this way, so I know it will still be a wonderful trip!

Coutdown to Paris...2 days to go!

So, for the first paris blog, I thought I'd list everything I have to accomplish before getting on the plane on Thursday morning...
1) Go to DMV and recover lost driver's license (yep, as if I REALLY needed this to happen in the midst of everything else). Before I do this, I have to call about 3 places to see if it's turned up anywhere...
2) Bake sugar cookes, frost them, and eat them...
3) Make mashed potatoes in crock pot, and bake yams for Christmas Eve dinner...
4) Make Mom's favorite cake (German Chocolate, from scratch)
5) Go to the bank and deposit check so nothing bounces...hahaha, this is "DO RIGHT NOW!!!"
6) Visit with Angela
7) Pack
8) Take out half of everything I packed cuz my suitcase is too heavy and repack.
9) Figure out how I'm getting from airport to apartment in Paris.
10) Make my Top 10 for Week 1 in Paris list (Week 2 will happen at the end of the first week)
11) Wrap presents, write out cards, and make sure everything's in order for the Aca Deca retreat I'm leaving on when I get back..

So, yeah, the next couple of days will be a little bit busy. In fact, look above for a great example of what it will be like...but I know it will turn out ok...

have a happy Eve of Christmas Eve!!!

Marisa