Friday, June 23, 2006

The Wrap Up

I realize for those of you who are just jumping on the story of my stay in Paris which now is at its end, this will be a little overwhelming at first. Just to give you the basic details, I have been living here since the end of January, studying history at the Sorbonne and doing theatre. I live with a widow in one of her spare rooms, she has four children in their 20's (but they don't live at home) who I see often. Major highlights of my trip have been (in no particular order):
A) the student strikes that suspended classes for 5 weeks
B) Going through 3 cameras (various incedents)
C) Meeting a french guy, Akilles, who I have been seeing since early February
D) Falling in love with Paris
E) Becoming fluent-ish (or able to fake it) in french
F) Joining an Acting 'Atelier' (workshop) and acting in french

Classes basically ended a week ago, pretty much all my American friends have been gone for two. I just finished my last papers and turned them in, and its now friday. I leave on monday for my summer vacation (from vacation, its great!) where I will travel first to eastern europe (Leipzig, Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Krakow, Budapest) and then to Avignon (France, its in Provence) to the international theatre festival there (got Peter Brook tickets!). Then I'm spending a few days in the Cinque Terre in Italy (on the beach!), then back to France to visit the countryside (there's plenty to be had), until I finally fly to Seattle on the 13th of August to visit my parents (and friends) and then home to New York on the 25th (if I'm not mistaken about the date).

This week has been a whirlwind. I finished my papers, packed my things, picked my mom up, sent her on to Rennes (from where she returns sunday for my show), had tech rehearsals, had my check-out meeting with cupa, etc. And had my (possibly) last croissant amande, pour me faire plaisir :)

Packing has been a huge pain in the ass, I don't know how I always end up with so much stuff. I could kick myself for being so materialistic but please girl, not in these shoes! Hehe, actually I'm ashamed, I wore flip flops today. I know, so not french, but its fucking nice out and I've been in rehearsal since 10am.

Paris was at her finest today, sparkling, beautiful Paris that cannot ever be matched be any other city on earth. I was thinking today about all of the things I haven't done here, but I realized finally, that it was ok, because I'll be coming back my entire life.

Tomorrow is my last real saturday here (whilst still living here), and I have to rehearse from 1 to 5.
I'm gonna go to the Marais tomorrow morning pour acheter des chaussures because mine make too much noise onstage. I hate just buying shoes just to buy them though, so I hope I actually find some I like.
Then I've got rehearsal.
Then Aki (Akilles, boyfriend-type-situation) has promised, despite certain *cough* unexpected complications, to come spend our last night together at my place. I hope I can coax him to promise to visit me, but even if he promised, I don't think I'd believe him. I'd like to, but I have an awful feeling I would be wrong. And that's the worst way to be wrong.

Well, one of my close friends from New York is here and we made plans to have dinner together, so I should get dressed!
May not get a chance to update again until Eastern Europe (or after). Until then, bisous!

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