This Proves My Terrible Memory

I don't know how this happened, but I forgot my password to this blog for the last week. I changed it somehow, but I still have no idea what it might have been. Thank god for security questions (though I am surprised I remembered the answers for those).

The event that I have been most excited about since my time in France was this last Friday. It was a free trip through NYU (only cost me 3 1/2 years of tuition to finally get something free) to Vaux-le-Vicomte. This is the palace that Versailles was based on. We took buses in the morning, enjoyed the château, had a free 3 course meal, then enjoyed the gardens for a while before being shipped back to Paris.

I had heard one of my wonderful professors, Christina Von Koehler, who knows everything about everything history, was going to give a tour. So as we walked in, I asked her. She said "No, but I will be around if you have any questions." She then proceded to walk with me and tell me all about every room until it became an unofficial NYU tour. When we got to the bell tower, she admitted her fear of heights and could not continue. But lo and behold, when I descended 10 minutes later, she was there waiting, and we recommenced the tour.

At our 10 person table at lunch there was an extra seat next to me, which she eventually occupied. We drank wine and talked. She is one of the best story tellers I have ever encountered, and funny. And she knows her dates.

The château itself was built by Nicholas Fouquet, who was a minister of finance. He got these great designers and artists and gardeners and built himself this amazing place. It is funny too because in some old french dialect his last name meant squirrel, so they put them all over the house. When it was just about finished he had party to show it off, which turned out to be a mistake.

Louis XIV was young and new at the king thing and of course dint wanna git dun like dat. So 3 weeks later they arrested Fouquet and didn't allow him council or a pen the entire time before his trial, so he pretty much had to represent himself and all his financial dealings for France by himself from memory. He died in jail 19 years later. Meanwhile Louis XIV took all his builders, gardeners and artists and pretty much said 'same thing but bigger and better and closer to Paris.' Thus, Versailles was born.

My other favorite part was a little tidbit of info about the landscape designer André Le Nôtre eventually went from a gardener to a noble because of his work. So when your family is marked as nobility, you must have a crest. He chose his crest to be a head of a cabbage and 3 snails. He was funny for a gardener.

In the garden I snuck into an overgrown garden with broken greenhouses and an old well, which was cool, but I had to walk for a bit. When I finally reached another gate I saw some friends on the other side, realized I was trapped because it was locked and had to walk all the way back...

I really liked the place, and though I have not been inside the Palace of Versailles, I would say this is a great alternative. We were practically the only people there (never the case at Versailles) and the story of the building is interesting and it was designed by the same people. Plus the staff is relaxed and wouldn't mind if I had set down a picnic just about anywhere. I also like the fact that some of it remains unfinished, it gave me a better sense of the immense amount of work it takes.

Oh also, Tony Parker and Eva Longoria got married there. Cassandra and I thought about it, but decided to just take this picture instead.

Le Lardon Flu

I call it Lardon (Bacon) Flu because I forgot what pig is in french and I just haven't looked it up. Plus I see a lot more bacon throughout my week than live pigs.

H1N1 is serious business here at New York University Paris. In every one of our orientation meetings they have talked about it. I don't know how true this is, but I heard that the hype is kind of dying down in the US, but apparently that specualtion has made it to France. In every classroom inside the door there is antibacterial hand sanitizer. There are different trash cans with lids for gloves and masks. So is it still big in America? Honestly comment, want know.

And I wish this were a joke but the first day of french class the first word my teacher taught us was sneeze (éntenuer), followed by cough (tousser). Then she told us to not even think about coming to class if we did either of those things.

Then yesterday as I took a little nap, I found it really hard to take a sleep because I was sure I coming down with the symptoms. Every time I cough I worry.

The point of this post is to let you know that NYU Paris is good at making their students feel cared about, academically capable, and turning them into hypochondriacs.

NYU Paris

Yesterday was our first day of "school." It included picking up a packet with our ID at the place everyone is being temporarily housed, getting a schedule of meetings this week, and the faculty telling us to be careful of swine flu and getting drunk in public, first in French and then in English.

This morning we had to meet at 10am at the school (cute, pictured here), the meeting was very similar, but smaller and with two very entertaining and funny young ladies showing us a powerpoint. They did give us wine tips and we were able to ask all those questions we have had for so long. Like if we can receive packages at our school mailboxes, which we can. So send them to me! Evan Watkins - NYU Paris, 56 Rue de Passy, Paris 75016 France!

I have never been so excited to start school (that may not be true, I just have a terrible memory), but it is still like we are skirting around it. Friday we take a language placement test, then the next two weeks is only French class for 2 weeks and activities/tours at night. After that we start real classes. Strange, but obviously structured like that for good reason and I trust it.

And to be honest, outside of Playwrights Horizons Theater School, I have never felt really cared about so much at NYU. They do a good job here, I think it has to do with the small group and their hope for a pleasant and full experience for us all. I already signed up for a free day-trip to Vaux-le-Vicomte with a 4 course meal included, and a ghost story tour of Montmarte. I am a big fan of planned communal events!

So I found independent housing with my roommates and moved in yesterday. I UNPACKED immediately. I have been in a suitcase for 4 weeks! Truly terrible and not a way that I can live. I like my apartment, it is very cute and in a really great area. The only thing is that I still have to fashion myself up a desk so I can be super studious this semester!