Parisian Lessons

respect for personal space is an american thing.

the french may be "rude" but they always greet you with bonjour/bonsoir (hello - daytime & night time) and leave you with bonjournee/bonsoiree (have a good day/night).

it is light until 10 pm in paris .

the banks of the seine are similar to the beaches of california when its warm out - lined with bathing beauties young and old looking for a tan.

la tour eiffel (eiffel tower) is larger and more mesmerizing than i imagined.

i speak french (well-ish).

paris is BIG on vintage fashion magazines and old/used books - making the old new.

the average european man kicks the american man's ass when it comes to style - rolled khakis/jeans, loafers without socks, vneck tees, scruffy faces, man bags, etc....impeccable and effortless.

living in paris is like living in a beautiful french film.

i love a crepe salee (its a crepe made with wheat flour and salt) with fromage(cheese), champignons(mushrooms) and green olives - heaven!

i'm not as fashion forward as i want to be, paris has inspired me to take chances.

1 tall blonde girl in paris does not attract nearly as much attention as 2 tall blonde girls in paris - sticking out like awkward and clumsy sore thumbs we are.

i want and crave companionship.

i am not a girl who roughs it, i like comfort and i will pay more to get it.

fresh baked parisian pain au chocolate is like crack to me.

the gays in paris are equally as flamboyant and fabulous as they are in LA!

i'm a city girl and small town girl all at once.

note to self: when wearing a long white dress and walking with your similarly built american girl friend down the parisian streets during a gay march - you will be asked with excitement if you just got married.

photography is my passion. i will forever be the girl with a camera in her hand.

army green, striped shirts, fashionable flats and genie pants are IN.

brunettes are in.

paris is messy and unkempt pulled back hair that looks unexpectedly beautiful.

i may finally have kicked my over packing habit.

eating mcdonald's makes me feel like i'm home (such an american i am).

jess and i can be hungover, share a twin bed and watch dvds even in paris.

running is for people who drive cars every day, i walk, everywhere.

buying fresh flowers is something i do for myself no matter where i lay my head at night.

even alone you can never be bored in paris. lonely? yes. bored? never.

crepe sucree w/nutella

butte montmartre - 18th arrondiseement - view of paris

montmartre - city view - street performer

movement

apartment II in the marais - my room

apartment II in the marais - jess' room

apartment II - dining table

the seine (major river in paris)

transient man on the banks of the seine

notre dame

banks of the seine

banks of the seine

la tour eiffel

me

gay pride parade

gay pride parade in paris

jess & jill - she's here!!!

typical street vintage book stands

as always - missing my friends and family but relishing in every moment i'm here.

-jillian

Check, Check and Check!

Paris (week 2) continued to bring unexpected adventures and journeys which I suppose has my trip working out in ways I could never have planned had I tried. Please be reminded, if you weren't already overwhelmingly aware, I did not plan even one aspect of this adventure. And so it goes....

Participate in 70,000 person march to stop France from raising the retirement age and to prevent France from bringing further strife to worker's Unions - Check.

Spend hours at France's largest Flea Market with priceless antiques, endless books and paintings, vintage vinyl, touristy trinkets and literal garbage displayed as if it were finely hand stitched couture on display at a fashion exhibit - Check.

Watch France national soccer (football) team play in the World cup on television in France - Check.

Make use of wonderfully thoughtful going away gift from co-workers at McGregor & Ernenwein, walking photo tour of Paris - Check.

Ride the metro (btw Kelly you were right the metro actually smells like freshly baked bread, croissants and pastries) - Check.

Visit the Louvre and people watch, eat ice cream and nap at Les Tuillieries (garden/park at the Louvre) - Check, Check, Check.

Blend in (was asked for directions by 4 different French people in French) - Check.

Take metro to TGV (high speed train), walk 30 minutes to metro in order to take metro to train station, sweat profusely while entering rental car info instead of train info, curse at ticket machine, leave machine, come back, enter rental car info into train ticket machine again and ultimately realize even in English I can easily become confused - Check.

Visit the south of France (Avignon), participate in French reality TV show "Very Good Trip" and witness/study pigeon mating rituals on multiple occasions - Check, Check and Check.

Buy a beautifully handmade ring made from a silver spoon by a kind Peruvian man in Avignon and get a free hand woven bracelet from the kind man that grants me 3 wishes; all 3 of which I immediately wished for (still waiting for remaining 2 to come true) - Check.

Eat alone, a lot. Drink alone, not a lot, unless its in the privacy of my flat. - Check.

Spend $100 US for a dry manicure/pedicure (absolutely no water involved) while being forced to "rest" my giant boats on the knees of my dainty French pedicurist only to have multiple leg and foot cramps because I refused to actually "rest" my feet on her tiny legs - Check.

Translate from English to French for 4 American girls who wandered into the nail salon and did not know how to ask if they could get pedicures and take photos of the shop - Check.

Buy sneaks and in so doing convince the adorable 20 year old salesman that he needs to get the same pair, we modeled the shoes together, we probably wore the same size (sigh) - Check.

Continue to miss my friends, family and home while soaking in every detail and moment of my adventure - Check, Check, Check and Check.

-Jillian

10 days

I sit in my Parisian apartment on my temporary couch, legs crossed and laptop resting easily on my exhausted legs; I remain completely overwhelmed by the fact that my laptop (and I) are in Paris. Its been 10 days and none of it feels real. This is one of those dreams that feels so real you almost believe it is but deep down you know it can't be. And when you awake you think to yourself, "that felt impossibly real - was it?" And you spend the next few minutes trying to figure out if your dream actually happened. I can't help but wonder when I'm going to wake up.

I am without reality, comfort, clarity and companionship. I have grown quite accustom to exploration, wonderment, awe and disbelief. I struggle to find the words and in this moment eloquence escapes me so I will type what comes to mind from the start to finish of my adventure thus far. I will also attach just a few of the hundreds of photos I've taken so far. They seem to describe my journey thus far better than I ever could. (Scroll down past the pictures for more info).

london

london

london

london

london

london

paris

paris

paris

paris "she and him"

paris

paris - my apartment

paris - view from my terrace

paris

paris

paris

paris

brussels

brussels

brussels

brussels

Brussels - Emily

brussels

brussels

brussels

brussels

brussels "mannekin pis"

brussels

• 100 pounds of luggage have traveled with me from the US, to London, to Paris, only partially to Brussels and I have the arm and leg bruises to prove it.
• Red double-decker-open-top buses are cheesy but a MUST in any new/foreign/world renown city.
• Quitting your job of 6.5 years, leaving friends, family, boyfriend and home (of 8.5 years) for a foreign country you've never visited is as overwhelming as one might think.
• Tanya Ruby rocks.
• Paris is striped boat neck tees, baguettes in totes, sidewalk cafes (every 50 steps), beautiful women, bakeries (every 30 steps), architecture, fashion, history, culture, diversity, parks, gardens, street markets, style, cigarettes, artwork, cheese, wine, shopping, luxury, kindness, busy, inspiring and so much more...
• JFK to CDG is only 6.5 hours. Emily Davis saved my spirit.
• The rumors are not true. The French are extremely friendly: "bonjour", a smile and a small amount of effort is really all it takes.
• Apartment scams are real. I know.
• At age 32 I'm not above sitting in a vestibule for 2 hours, wondering if I've been scammed again, eating a baguette, drinking a tall boy beer, surrounded by my luggage and my dear friend Emily both wearing sweats as several people pass by and provided kind greetings and well wishes "bon apetit" was the most used during our vestibule stay.
  
• Paris is expensive!
• Taxis are impossible to find in the morning in Paris. Bus drivers will lie about how long it takes to get somewhere. And they will forget to tell you when its your stop.
  
• Next time I'm asked if I want a refundable or exchangeable train ticket my answer will be a resounding "OUI, s'il vous plait!"
• Brussels, Belgium is an hour and 20 minute train ride. Its like going back in time to a cobble stoned fairytale that smells of waffles, soup, vintage antique home decor and beauty.
• Waffles from Belgium are THAT delicious.
• When reality and fantasy collide life gets real - real quick.
• I am comfortable admitting when I'm sad.
• I am comfortable admitting when I've made a mistake.
• Apparently my french doesn't suck.
• I don't feel alone when I'm walking the streets of Paris.
• DO NOT make eye contact with men on the streets of European towns they will stop, follow and harass you. Some have been known to dig through garbage cans in hopes of getting a phone number.
• I am further reminded of how lucky I am to have the friends and family I have.
• I walk, everywhere.
• My feet hurt.
• Its 3 pm in LA and midnight in Paris - time for bed.
• In Paris I am Jillian - no one understands me when I say Jill. Jillian it is.

My life remains unexpected and unplanned and I am incredibly thankful for all of your support and encouragement. You all are missed dearly. Good night for now.

-Jillian