Entry 4: July 2, 2009

I can't believe that I am over two weeks into my trip! I really love it here, and now that I have moved apartments I love it even more! I had ant problems, and I had to sleep on the floor, and it took me 15 mins to walk to school, and I didn't have a oven or a microwave (I really needed to move) but I am so glad I am in a closer apartment and I have a bed off the ground!

I love everything we are doing. We just finished up with our men’s wear fashion shows and we had really long days. If we got an invitation to go to a show, we dropped what we were doing and went. I have loved seeing all the street fashion in Paris and how creative the people are here. I have also learned some embroidery techniques and Shabori dyeing methods, which I will be practicing when I get to the lake. I have also learned the 9 heads method of drawing fashion models, and am currently drawing for a project that is to be finished at the end of the trip.

I am about to start my two free days. I am hopefully going back to the Louvre and to the fabric stores. I also really want to go to the Catacombs of Paris. Tonight a bunch of us are going to see the Eiffel Tower twinkle. I am super excited!

On Sunday I start my internship with Elie Saab, and I am nervous but really excited to work on a haute couture women’s show in Paris. How much bigger does it get than that!? 

I don't want to leave in two weeks, but I would like to see everyone, so just come and visit.
It is really hot right now, about 89 degrees F, and we feel every bit of it. Also, tons of people have started coming to Paris so the metro is jam packed almost every train ride. It is funny because we can spot the American tourists from across the room, and we all just laugh and get annoyed at them- very ironic since we are Americans as well, but we feel like locals.

I have been asked twice if I am French, and I have been asked 3 times for directions, so I think I blend in very well. In the Monoprix (the grocery store here) I started talking to a older gentleman, because he complimented me on my dress, and after a while our conversation got so complex with verbs I had to ask him to speak English and he was really confused because he thought I was French! I was very proud of myself.

I have been sick the past week and a half, and everyone else has been too. We all gave each other what we all had, so we just ask "hey how are you feeling today? oh, you have a sore throat? I had that yesterday."  It has been pretty hard being sick and going to all these different places, but I am feeling a lot better today. Now I just have to figure out how to stay cool.

I can't wait to see every one! Hope that everyone is doing well!

Much love from Paris,
Katie

Entry 3: June 30, 2009
 
I am glad the menswear shows are over, and I am excited to start the woman's wear shows! Belgium has the best waffles ever, for real, and I can't believe that I only have 2 more weeks. I also love that this country has a cornucopia of Raspberry products!

Entry 2: June 22

I am in the south of France right now, and I am loving Nice! We are only here for one day; we are going to the beach tomorrow morning and then leaving back to Paris tomorrow night. I feel like I have had a world wind trip to Italy! I will be sending postcards soon, and I love this trip!

Entry 1: June 17

Hello all!
I am writing to tell you that I am safely in Paris! I don't know how many times I will be able to write, I don't have a computer and we are gone all day and have so much work to do. I just want to tell you all that I am alive!

It has been a rough start, almost 24 hours awake on Monday from the traveling. Everything is so different! I was not prepared for all the discomfort of not having some creature comforts, and I have to hustle for food since we are so busy! But I am getting comfortable, I wasn't prepared for all the homesickness, I think it is also just America-homesickness.

I am loving all the things we are doing, even if we are really sleepy most of the time. The first day we got to Paris we had a full day, it was raining and we were taken to our apartments. Ruth’s and my apartment is so small! The head of the academy apologized, and when a Frenchman apologizes for the size of an apartment, you know it is small! It is about the size of my room at home, and only one room. My cot was falling down so I have to sleep with Ruth at night. We are moving apartments 4 days after we get back from Italy (where we leave 5 a.m. my time tomorrow) so I only have to count the days until I can have my own bed!

After we got into our apartments, we went to the Eiffel Tower. It is so beautiful in person!!!!! The detail is so amazing. My attitude is funny here, I thought all these sites would be really epic, that I would feel this great emotion when I saw it, but I am just like -oh ok there it is! And this is nice! I feel very comfortable here. It is a really quiet city!

We have done so much in the past three days (spelling is horrible because I am tired and I have to hurry to pack for Italy) Day one: Eiffel Tower, dinner on the Champs E'lysees , and navigating back to the apartment. Day two: Mont Martre and the Sacre Couer (my favorite area so far!) and fabric stores. Day three: classes in the morning, then we went to the Louvre! (Amazing is all I have to say).

I am enjoying figuring out what I can do in a foreign country, and I have been speaking French to most people. Most French people understand me and I have had no trouble figuring out with the language barrier. Contrary to popular belief, most French people so far have not started talking to me in French, except if I get stuck. I have also been really assertive with the directions. I feel that the French metro is so much easier to navigate than the NYC subway! It makes me feel confident to move to NYC next year.

Even though I am run down, I am a little homesick, and hungry most of the day, I am loving this experience. I can't wait to show you all my pictures and send postcards! I will try to send most cards when I get back to Paris, but I have to have time to get someone to go with me to buy them-that is the problem-having time.

I am also thinking of staying in Paris for the free weekend (July 3-6) so that I can experience more of the places we have visited.

I miss you all and I wish you were here with me, you are with me in spirit and I think about you guys all the time! I will write more when I have the time! And I will tell every one more indepth stories when I return. (A hopefully more independent and smart traveler and woman!)

Tons and tons of love! Send me prayers and love!