This is an entry I wrote a long time ago just haven't pasted it until now

Paris:

My Spring break was awesome.  I finally got to go to Paris.  Got to Paris Saturday the 9^th of April.  We ended up staying with these really cool people, the family of a family friend (if that makes sense).  When we got to their house it felt like we were in an episode of the Real World or something like that.  There was a bunch of different people there, the mom, the daughter and her husband, the son, and an Italian student and then the other daughter, her husband and here little kids were there visiting so it was crazy and every body spoke a different language, well we all spoke French, but then there was Italian, German, English, Spanish, and Portuguese lol.  So after we had lunch we went out to explore Paris.  We did some speed sightseeing; we saw Notre Dame and then walked to the Eiffel tower (long walk, seemed so much closer since you can see it form all places), then went to the Champs Elysees and saw the Arc de triomph. 

Sunday 10^th: We went to the Louvre, it is HUGE, and then walked through the gardens de Toulerie and form there to Champs Elysees because we were starving we ended up in McDonalds, it was the coolest McDo, first when you walk in you have to go down this stairs it seems like you are going into a night club or something and then there was a big screen playing music videos and CD players everywhere to listen to the newest hits.  Then later we went on a cool boat tour through the Seine where we found a person form the institute, who would of thought you would just find people you know in such a big place . 

Monday 11^th:  Met up with Jenifer, Kelly, & Melissa at this park and we went on a hot air balloon that goes up in the air but is attached to the ground by a string it was cool.  I guess we wanted more heights so we climbed up the Eiffel Tower after that, amazing architecture.  We walked from there to les Invalides (where Napoleon is buried), it was really pretty.

Tuesday 12^th: Started our day by going to Musee D’Orsay, I personally liked it better than Le Louvre.  Then the Sainte Chapelle, it as amazing glass stained windows.  After we went shopping .  I have to say I was disappointed in the shopping in Paris, Barcelona is cooler, & the malls in the US . 

Wednesday 13^th: First stop, Basilique St. Denis, where all the French kings are buried.  Then Sacre Coeur it was really pretty, and some guys there got us to buy a bracelet that supposedly means that I will find a boyfriend (that would be nice ).  Then we walked around Montmartre and we saw the Moulin Rouge, it is an interesting area (sarcastic face).  Then the last stop of the day was The Opera House of the Phantom of the Opera & Galeries Lafayette.  During dinner there was this American couple and their daughter that got there a little after us and they kind of got into a discussion because the husband asked the waiter how he was doing.  The wife said you don’t say that here.  Well the husband said lets go we aren’t getting any services here (they hadn’t even been there that long) and so they left.  Then the husband cam back in and took a bottle of wine that was by the door and ran out.  The waiters started running after them and then they got the bottle back I guess the wife returned it, that is what they were saying.  One of the most interesting things we experienced during our adventure in Europe, and there was many interesting things lol.   

Thursday 14^th: We went on a search for Starbucks and then we found a mall type thing were I found a phone booth so I could register and we chilled around there all day.  Some guys started flirting with us (Dude: Je cherche une femme, Sofia: Moi non OH SHOTDOWN) they were kind of old lol, the ones that were trying to get me to catch their little hacky sack were way cuter and our age . 

Friday 15^th: Chateau Versaille, it was kind of a rip off but it was really pretty.  Sat. morning we were going to go back to Aix but I just realized Friday that the ticket said Sunday.  That night we told them we weren’t leaving until Sunday so we had a little party, he started playing salsa and rageaton as they call songs like Enamorame, and they brought out instruments like maracas, timbales, etc. .

Saturday 16^th: We hung out in the house all day because we had seen pretty much everything and so we watched American Beauty in French with Sabrina (Italian girl) & then they made a yummy lunch.  For dinner they took us out to Paris.  We walked around the Latin Quarter & had a Greek sandwich.

Sunday 17^th: Another ride on the TGV back to Aix.

Now it is Finals time well I have one last one tomorrow, on Saturday eww.  Saturday night to España .

I had a great time in Sevilla and now I am back in the desert going to summer school.  I can't wait to go back to SD I miss it.

Carmen 

I finally went out here in Aix.  This friday I just finished my wine tasting class, it was cool I learned a lot about wine while Sofia drank most of my wine, I would take a sip and then she got the rest .  Very interesting, it has it's own life, like they say in the movie Sideways.  Speaking of Sideways I saw it this friday with some friends, it was perfect having just finished wine tasting class David, Sofia, and I started laughing when they spoke of the wine and the pinot noir and other types of grapes that we had just learned about, yeah and people thought we were weird because we were the only ones laughing then .  Well yeah I finally went out and experienced the night life here in Aix, I know you are going  why so late, hey it isn't the same as in Spain people here go to bed at like 9 and the busses run until 10, I don't want to spend 8 euros on a taxi everytime I go out lol.  Well it was a lot of fun we stayed out  until like 5 am went to 3 different clubs, the Bistro Aixois, the Sunset cafe, and then the Scat Club.  Bistro was ok, there weren't many people that we knew there, we had a nice time, then we saw our Swedish freinds Malen and Simon and they took us to the sunset cafe, they were playing eighties songs it was cool then the music kind of got lame so Susan took all of us to the scat club where some band was playing rock songs and then the dj started playing good salsa songs towards the end of the night and that is when we really started dancing . 

Two more midterms to go, one in about an hour at 5:30pm and then another one wednesday and then done with tests until finals which will be here soon.  I am so excited that means I am going to Paris soon for about a week in April and Lyon at the end of this month for Easter monday that we get off so for like 3 days I am going to Lyon to eat good food, that is what I heard .  And the weather is nicer at least today . 

Congrats team XC I heard you scored 3 goals, and this thursday I want a win GOOD LUCK!!

Later

Carmen