Going to Paris!

River in Grenoble, France

Whoa...I'm going to Paris...I'm going to Paris...

Going to Paris has been one of my dreams for a very longtime and it is finally coming true. For me it's not about seeing the Eiffel Tower, or the Arc de Triumph, although those things are important, but I have always wanted to simply be there and experience this grand city in France where a large amount of history and more specifically, artistic history has taken place. Just absorbing the feelings and the sights of Paris will be a treat within itself.

Annecy, France

For this first trip, I say "first" because I plan to go again, I will be going for 3 days. In these 3 days I plan to go see Versailles, go to the Musée d'Orsay, I believe, and see the Eiffel Tower of course. Since Paris is such a large and rich city, I unfortunately can only do so many things within 3 days. But I'm happy to be doing what was planned. 

I hope that this entire experience is worth while because this has been something I've wanted to do for such a long time and I hope that if I like it enough, I can return, possibly for work. 

Have you ever really wanted a dream of yours to come true that you'd work so hard to make it happen, that it was almost insane what you'd do?

Well, while I don't think I'd do ANYTHING, I would do a lot. Right now, as the semester is beginning for me and things are getting started I am noticing all that I can do. What I mean by that is since my problems have been put into perspective, I have had an epiphany of sorts to what I consider "hard" to really be. 

Annecy, France

For example, back home in the states I would avoid doing certain things because I had a "fear" of the result or of all the possible things that could go wrong. Think "being led by our insecurities" sort of thing (credit of Tiarah Tucker). But after being here, I realized that those things aren't anything compared to doing it in a different language. When you have difficulty communicating things in everyday life, I have to reflect on the simplest things. For example, if I'm hungry and I want to try out this new restaurant, first I think, "Well, you're going to have to go out of your comfort zone and try speak French without them knowing that you don't speak French". And then I think, "Well, what if they try and have a conversation with me?", "What if they speak too fast and I have to ask them to repeat themselves several times over?", "What if they realize that I'm an American and hate me just because of that?" And the rest continues....But I realize if I let those thoughts continue to fill my head, I will never get to try the food at the restaurant and am left with, "what if?"

Lake in Annecy, France

Now that's a very not serious example of something that can be very hindering at times and probably there are people out there who have studied abroad and said, "I have never had that problem", Well, you're not me so...leave....Anyways my point is that if I continue to have little bursts of bravery like that on the daily, how much potential do I have to do things on a large scale? This is such a great mindset to be in because the possibilities are unlimited. 

I hope this mindset continues. Even when those obstacles come.

Now...PARIS!

CELUI QUI TOMBE-

Wow. What a night and what a way to finish this week.

Tonight I was lucky enough to see <<CELUI QUI TOMBE>> a spectacle that combined, "Conception, miss en scène et scénographie" by Yoann Bourgeois. 

Stuff!

This was awesome. So much action, no speaking, and a short song, created a cool experience and a heightened atmosphere in my opinion. For me, when there isn't any text, the audience must rely on other things to tell the story. They  must rely on what they perceive  in order to create their own interpretation of what the actors are trying to communicate. That's why I love cirque. It's different, but can be very powerful. With amazing acrobats/actors, I hope to see more stuff while here in France and hopefully more at MC2.

Inside the MC2 Theatre

In addition to the show, I also think that while I've only been here for two weeks, I am foreseeing how awesome this trip can be. I know it's simple to think that when you're in another country you'll do everything and travel and have loads of fun, but when you have to live in another country where you can speak the language, but you're not perfect at it, simple things become scary. But you can't let that keep you from making the most out of your experience. 

I think that's what I'm learning, for now. 

It was kind of a challenge for me to get up the courage and go to this show by myself, but I'm happy I went! And I want to go to another show. 

The Set

Just like seeing a show is it's own experience, because each show is not completely the same as the one before or after it, each experience I have has a meaning and something to remember about it as well. There was a point in the show when they transformed the giant platform into a giant swing and it was amazing seeing the acrobats/actors get knocked down, but then get back up. Dodge it and then get hit again. It's cheesy, but that's life...It can be like a giant platform swinging back and forth and it's up to you to either continue dodging it and continue getting knocked down, or getting knocked down by it, but having the courage to try and get on it and take control.

That's how I see it.

Well. Here is another show that I think I want to go to. We'll see.

Today I Discovered that My Window Opens-

Window in my room

Sunday was a very slow day, but a good one.

I stayed home because I had to finish a good amount of homework, but that meant I couldn't go to the peaceful demonstration that almost every city in France had for those who were killed that worked for the CHARLIE HEBDO newspaper in Paris. I still was able to see on TV the 1.5 million people who visited Paris for the march. What a day.

Still, even though I stayed home, I was able to find out that the window that is in my room actually DOES open. When I stand on my chair and look out I have a great view. So beautiful. 

However, today was an eye opening day for myself as well. 
French, at the beginning, is easy for everyone, the simple memorization of vocabulary and then regurgitation on a test is basically what you learn. Then after that comes past tense, then after that more complicated grammar, etc. etc. And it's getting (or it is) pretty difficult at this point because you're re-learning how to communiate and not only that, but French is a lot more structured than the English language. 

View from my room

For me, it's a matter of not getting too down when mistakes are made and not making things too complicated. I find that everyone has their own hurdles that they need overcome when learning something new. But on a larger scale I feel that while attempting to learn one giant thing we tend to learn little things along the way. "It's not the destination, it's the journey"....if you must understand it that way... 

That phrase is bit cliché and it's been used too much in my opinion...

Like this entire trip I find myself asking, "Why am I here?", "What am I doing?", and while these seem like obvious questions that have obvious answers, really, there not all that simple. When you're at college and taking a class to become whatever it is that you want to be, WHY? Because it will please your parents? Because you are actually passionate about that job? Because you want to help people, maybe?

Whatever it is, you then must remember that that's your journey and you will have your own war with all it's internal battles to overcome. So why do we judge others based on their journey? Because it's not yours? Because you don't agree with it?

Other view from my room

I think this thought has some correlation with what happened in Paris, France recently. It was great how during the march, great leaders were able to put aside their differences for this moment of unity because, when something that significant like that happens, people are put back into perspective about what really matters. 

So! Bringing it back, just like this trip and my journey during this trip, I'm trying to learn and experience with every single day and if something happens or I make a mistake it's okay. It's just a bump in a road that's 3 miles long. This also means letting others have their own journey. But in the end we all experienced France together. 


Hopefully having this mindset will continue and keep me going.

Abroad in Grenoble-The Things I Ponder.

Well I'm here.                                         Jan. 10, 2015

To be frank, it hasn't hit me yet that I am here; in a completely different country on a completely different continent, and I don't think that it really will. I see things differently in that way,  suppose. For me, being abroad isn't so much about realizing where I am in the world, but noticing and picking up on the differences between here and the United States. 

And really it's the little things...

For example, I notice that one always says, "bonjour" constantly before entering a store or entering a restaurant. Or, that things are so much smaller than in the U.S. For instance, the spacing out of this city is different than the spacing out in Seattle. Alley ways are much more narrow and sidewalks are much more narrow as well. 

Again, It's the little things.

Grounds at the Musée de la Revolution Française

 But as much as things have changed and as much "Culture Shock" as I am experiencing right now, I am glad that I made this trip. The reason for that is not because I'm going to discover and accomplish a life long dream (although simply coming to France was a dream for me already), but it's more about being lucky enough to experience another culture and becoming sensitive to them and their lifestyle and beliefs. I think that everyone should have this experience. By simply placing oneself in an uncomfortable situation such as this, it's difficult, but so beneficial. It's as if you're learning everything all over again because everything is completely new. You wonder, 

Grounds at the Musée de la Revolution Française

-"How am I supposed to order a cup of coffee as politely as possible?" 

-"If I make a mistake, will they get mad?"

-"What if they continue to talk to me? And what if I don't understand?"

-"That kid over there speaks better French than I do and he's probably no older than 2.."

So many things have run through my mind just being here for 1-2 weeks. But overall, the largest "thought of the day" that I have been pondering is why people don't do things like this more often? I think back to the international students at Seattle University or even international students who came to my high school. They had courage. This isn't easy. One forgets how easily turning on the TV and listening in another room is. Because when you switch languages, watching TV is no longer a relaxing luxury, but something you have to focus on to just get an IDEA of what they're talking about. 

Experiencing another language and culture is such an amazing opportunity, but overall I want to continue putting myself in uncomfortable experiences because I know it will help me grow. The point is to keep going and face every challenge that comes, even though others may not understand. It's about how this experience can shape you as a person and because of that, how you then choose to live your life and treat others because of past experiences. 

France is amazing and the people are amazing. But I still have 98% of a 6 month trip to go. I've just started my journey. Lets see where I end up.

                              -Reiko.