Paris, je t'aime- again!

Bonjour ! Woah it has been a long time, but I must admit things have got a lot busier all of a sudden recently!  And plus, with a 6000 word project dealine soon approaching, updating a blog really isn't a priority.. as much as I'm using it as a distraction now! But I'm just going to bash out what's been happening in Lily's life recently so I can tick this off my list and 'crack on with my project'. A sentence I've been saying since September.

Exciting things: 

A few weekends ago, I did a proper Jouy-Paris-Jouy night out, staying out pas the last train and returning  to my room at 7am! It was for Julie's birthday, so I met some of her Irish friends- who are so full of beans! I didn't even drink because the drinks were so expensive, I don't know how I survied until 6am before the trains started but I did. The music was great, that must have been what kept me going! Julie and I were the only hard core ones who lasted until sunrise, and we evern found a cute 24hour brasserie café where we got (nice, not greasy chicoland-esque) homemade chips and a cup of tea whilst looking over the awakening of Montparnasee square at 6am. This is what Paris is about! Funniest moment on the train back in the morning, a French guy came up with uncontrollable hiccups. After asking me for a bottle of water, to which I replied, 'no sorry but try holding your breath and swallowing three times', he groaned and curled up in a ball on the seat, his shoulders jiggling up and down constantly. He then got out his phone to call his friend, and from what I understood by his angry voice and what he was saying, his friends had left without waiting for him or something, so he was having a go at them, but I couldn't take him seriously because literally every other second was followed by a hiccup. 'Are you serious? hic'. 'What are you playing at? hic', 'Shut hic up!'. LOL. Julie and I were just in stitches behind him! 

I  took a day off  last Wednesday to see my lovely friend Ella before she packs up and leaves France! ( asif!) We trated ourselves to another day at Disneyland, starting this time with the Studio Park before finsihing at the main park. I liked the studio park, there were less children and in my opinion more interesting rides to go on. We saw a cool car stunt show too! I actually did  rides!! House of terror, (after which, I was so shaky that I had to sit down and was mocked at by a northerner saying 'Oha, she's all sheehyyken up!'). Space mountain, rock n rollercoaster... there is a finding nemo ride which is actually quite fast and jolty and spinny and backwards in the dark! But fun all the same. I was very brave I must say, I am overcoming my fears! I had a really great day off and it was nice seeing Ella. One of our friends, Sarah, now works there so we met her after work and had yummy nacho's burgers at planent hollywood for tea! (with ehr discount, of course :p)

Thursday night, after shaking my booty at Zumba, I went over to my colleague, Christine's, house for dinner and the airing of Desperate Housewives in French! She knows I am a big fan, and despite already having watched the latest series, I took up her offer to go and have dinner and watch the show at her house, because, you have to take these opportunities! As I know the story lines, it was good watching it in French as I understood it. I met her mum, had a lovely home cooked dinner and the evening was just lovely :)

Last weekend was really good, and I have fallen back in love with Paris. To add to my sudden burst of bravery, I took a ride on the back of Aurélien's motorbike on friday night. We cruised to Versailles along the motorway at speeds which I can only describe through my thoughts as 'Ohmygosh I am going to die'.

There was a free boat trip along the Seine on Saturday evening organised by the HEC  International Students and we basically had a ride in a cute boat along the river seeing the sights with a tour commentary. Who ever knew that each bridge across the river told a story?! There was a little meal with wine included and we watched the sunset along the river- so nice! It's not every day you get to eat smoked salmon and drink wine whilst passing the Eiffel Tower! And the Statue of Liberty...! Afterwards the girls and I went and got a crèpe from a very cute crèperie in the Marais, really hit the spot!  Later, Sylvia and I went to meet Aurélien and his friend  at a pub to watch an important football match (don't ask me what though; Lyon vs Marseille, the League Cup perhaps??) so that was fun, just chilled having a drink in a nice pub and chatting to the guys. Lyon lost though, which didn't go down too well. I feell that I am learning more about football now, so I can join in conversation and my boyfriend's friends will think I'm cool. Even if it is mostly just French insults to the 'arbitre'!We got a lift back to campus which is always a luxury  when trains stop running at 10! And in his flash new car too.

Sunday morning I went to Paris again in the morning to watch a friend do the marathon. We spent a lot of time taking métros all across Paris, but it was worth it. We managed to see her twice and she did so well! Then after I went to meet my neighbors from home who were in Pairs for the weekend for lunch near Notre Dame. We had a lovely quiche, salad and apricot tart in a cute tucked away café just behing the cathedral! 

I was told that Sarkozy was making an appearance in paris that afternoon, as was François Hollande. So in order to delay working on my project further, I went over to Concorde to see Mr President! There were lots of people, lots of flags and lots of cheering. I didn't stay long, just long enough to take a photo to say I've seen him. There were too many people to get a good spot, and I couldn't really hear what he was saying anyway as it was echoy and windy. Elections this Sunday, it's quite interesting with all the election stuff happening at the moment. Then I met Aurélien and his friend again for coffee and then a lift back (I'm not with him just for the lifts, honest). I did some 'work', skyped mum then they came back again with Pizza so we just chilled together all night! It's been ages since I have had a nice week end in Paris, it's a shame that the weather has turned windy and rainy recently , but I just keep hoping it will pass as it's only April Showers.

In other good news, I think my summer is sorted. So I finsih here end of june, go on holiday to Tunisia and then I hopefully have an aupair job with a French family for end of July until mid August.I will come back to England for 3 weddings (in the same week!) and spend some time at home, try and move my stuff into my new student house. Theeenn... I have a month's job working at BNP bank in September!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Soo exciting, can't believe my application got accepted! It will be at the same branch as my boyfriends, which could be a challenge, but it was he who encouraged me to apply and I think the fact that I speak English was a bonus. Even if the Au*pair job doesn't work out I will still be very happy with the Bank internship. I just want to make the most of being in France before Uni starts again! 

I went to see the studen'ts musical the other night. It was the show which I auditioend for but then turned down the secodn round of auditions. It was entertaining enough, nothing compared to what Southampton Performing Arts Society can throw together though! If you're going to sing the Friends theme tune, at least GET THE WORDS RIGHT!! Oh, je n'étais pas contente. 

I have a close uni friend with me this weekend. She's currently asleep in my room as I had to do my 3rd 8.20 start this morning!! Lionel has been away this week which has meant Christine and I manning the library by oursleves, but it's been quite nice actually! I'm looking forward to a weekend with Lucy, I'm off this afternoon so we'll go out exploring!

If you are still with me, well done! I'll stop here as ths has already taken me like an hour to write! As you can see I've been quite busy, and the next few weekends will be the same, with a trip back home, a trip to Astérix Park and Reims planned for May. 

Bref, je dois bosser. A la prochaine!