Party in Paris complete with working video!

A few weeks ago the people in the apartment above us were having a party. Normally I wouldn't mind but this party happened to be on a week night and I had class early the next morning. When I got home (by home I mean the apartment I stay at in Paris) I heard music above my bedroom and was slightly annoyed at how loudly they were playing it. Later my roommate Claire (we live in the same apartment but we don't share a room) comes in and says that the music is even louder in the bathroom. So of course we go in the bathroom, open the window and try and see if we can get a glimps of the party. The funny part is that they were listening to a lot of American music like: Another one bites the dust, Thriller, some techno etc.

Here is a super embarassing video of me. Apparently I am verey tired so I keep closing my eyes while I am talking. Enjoy my humiliation! :]

Under Construction

I have this awesome new header thanks to Vanessa! Now I am just trying to find a background that I like with it so don't judge because I am not finished yet. If you have ideas for what would look good let me know.

Update

I realize that it has been a while since my last post but I will try and get you guys caught up with everything that has happened (ok not everything just a few things). I have a lot more pictures that I am going to put up when I have more time.

Claire and me sporting beanies! They are so cool!

Statue of Jean of Arc

Claire doing a wonderful impression of the brick drawing behind her. Although this museum looks like it is a lot of fun it isn't when you have a teacher that spends 3 hours in the same wing (This is in the Louvre).

At the top is a statue of Napoleon. I saw this during one of my Paris walks!

Opera

The tour was super expensive so we decided to take a picture on the bottom floor. From left to right: Julianne, Jessica, Allison, me, Marissa.

This sits outside the entrance of the opera I have a group picture somewhere, I will look for it and then post it another time.

I saw this picture the first day I got to France and thought it was really strange, then a month or so later I saw it on this bus. I thought I should share it with you!

Sydney just loves to get her picture taken (for those of you who don't know her, she is my cousin!)

In front of the Arc de Triomphe (Aly, me and Andrew).

Sydney aspires to be a model!

Once again in front of the Arc (Sydney, me with glasses on and Aly).

I need to not wear these glasses when I have my hair in a ponytail because I look slightly retarded in this picture.

The Arc de Triomphe alone besides these random people who decided to jump in my picture. Crazy people!

Andrew in front of some car that I could never identify for you. I tried but I just happen to lack that skill.

This is what it looks like from far away. I would have tried to fit the whole thing in but the wall of cars you see in front of you would have run me over.

I was happy just to see that something that was green so I took a picture.

Aly and I were just so excited to get these awesome pastries, that we couldn't contain ourselves.

Claire and Grant in French 102. You can tell we are all very awake for this class.

Kate and some weird animal/human combination.

We were watching the Superbowl that started at 12 or 1 am I only made it to half time.

This has got to be my favorite statue ever, because the cat in the man's arm just looks so excited to be there. It is just wonderful!

MY ROOM

Here I have a lovely desk that faces a window so that I can see the trees and buildings outside! Normally my computer is on there but today it was on my bed.

Here is my closet where I keep all of my clothes, shoes, food and anything else you could think of! So fancy!

Now, don't be jealous because my bed is so big. It actually drives me crazy because I like my full-size bed at home and when you move on this bed it shifts the whole thing.

STRIKE

If you look through the trees there are a bunch of people in yellow gathering before the big strike.

This is the view from my window and I am not staying in a hotel, there is just one next door. You can see the monument at the Bastille from our window (it is the tall thing with a point on top of it). The strike started at the Bastille so Claire and I were stuck in our apartment all day, which was really boring.

More yellow people gathering for the strike! This happened I think towards the end of January or the beginning of February. We weren't allowed to go outside because some of the strikes get dangerous.

LONDON

Voila mon passport! This would actually really funny if you knew what I was talking about. There is a you tube video that is really cheesy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUVagbFcSUU (that is the link for it).

Grant and Julianne are so excited to be riding the tube! (the tube/underground is the metro or subway in London).

I believe that I win the contest for most excited face on the metro!

Every time the train stops there is an announcement that comes on and says "mind the gap." Later we found this wonderful sign that shows you what happens when you don't mind the gap!

Behind Julianne and me is the London bridge.

I am sure if this is really a word "unputdownable" but you better believe that the people in London use it all of the time.

We were walking around Hyde park and we found this fountain that is in memory of Princess Dianna. Since you can't see all of it I will tell you what is looks like...it is a big ring that has water in it and part of it look like a small waterfall!

The hostel we stayed at in London was under construction the whole time we were there. Oh and don't worry our room was on the top floor so you can't really see it.

This sign is a lie you should never feed the squirrels in Hyde Park (London), they are no longer afraid of people and will come very close to you. The videos at the bottom will show you what I mean!

This is Julianne, she is one of the girls in the program. We decided we had to have pictures of us next to the phone booths and look really touristy doing it.

I am very excited to be talking on this phone, since you can't see my expression I thought I would just let you know!

We wandered around for what seemed to be hours before we found the statue of Peter Pan!

Also these swans are not afraid of people and are more than willing to come right up to you.

Here is a statue of Queen Victoria

Julianne was right by the fence when this evil squirrel jumped up super close to her.

This huge monument is dedicated to Albert...right now I can not remember which one but I do remember his name was Albert!

Here is the video of the scary squirrels. Sorry I couldn't rotate the video.

This is also a video of the squirrels that enjoy chasing people.

I promise I have more pictures of London, they are just on my other memory card that I don't currently have with me. I will put them on as soon as I can though!

I miss...

I don't like giving presentations...
I am ok just chatting with large groups but when I have to give a presentation....it sucks. I do not like getting up in front of large groups of people and giving a speech and have everyone staring at you. I have improved since I was younger though. In primary if I had a talk my mom would come in and whisper in my ear what I should say and I would stand there, saying nothing! A few other exceptions is if I have to get up and give a quick thought or sporting events. Well I guess I am just mean at sporting events (I know I should probably work on that, but I am just really competitive). So now on to what I intended to talk about.

i miss...My friends
I have made a lot of friends through the BYU program (or at least I think they are my friends), but I miss the ones back home that have known me longer. I don't have to try and impress the friends back home because they have already accepted me for me (I hope that makes sense)

i miss...my family
I am not homesick but I do miss being around my family. I miss waking up to Owen tapping my and telling my to wake up and play trains with him. Also nobody can understand you better than your family.

i miss...my clothes
In Paris I have a limited number of shirts and I am so sick of wearing the same ones every week, at least at home I could change it up. I even miss having all of my t-shirts that I work out in ( I know that is kind of lame but it is true). My color options are very limited here and it drives me nuts.

i miss...lacrosse
Since all of you know that I am the biggest lacrosse junkie this should be surprising. I loved working at the lacrosse store and talking about lacrosse all day. I want to be able to pick up my lacrosse stick whenever and do...stick tricks, wall ball or pass with someone. Three months is far too long to be without a stick.

i miss...my long hair
I love my new hairstyle but I still miss having long hair. It was easier to do when it had to be done quickly (you would think that it wouldn't but it really was easier).

Well that is all that I can think of right now, so this is the end of my post! I will put up more pictures later.

SALMON SALMON SALMON

I have already said this once but it needs to be said again. I HATE SALMON! Since I have been here we have had salmon 3 times out of nine meals. That is 1/3 of the meals we have had so far which is way too much. Also we were given minced cucumbers which are also disgusting.

I am now going to offend every French person and possibly some Americans. Eclairs aren't that good.

Here is my favorite tart ever it is called a tartelette framboise. It is the most delicious thing ever!

Sorry this post was short but I have to study for a test and make up a presentation. I will probably write after Valentines day and will have pictures from London!