jenna's paris journal: Two weeks of Chris Ramento

The past two weeks, my roommates and I have been lucky enough to have another visit from our friend studying in Scotland, Chris Ramento. He decided to come last minute, and I think I speak for us all when I say that we are so happy to have him here! It is so great to have friends visit anytime, but especially Chris because he is so funny and there is never a dull moment when he is around. Good thing I will be visiting him in Scotland in about 2 weeks.

Emily’s birthday was last Tuesday, and her, Kara, Faye, Sean, Becca, Chris and myself celebrated baller style…. By staying in a hotel and going out on the Champs Elysées this past weekend! We stayed in a two room HUGE suite at Hotel Raphael, which looks like Versailles inside (seriously). It was nice to stay somewhere else in the city for a night and to be pampered with room service! On Friday night we went out to Duplex, a club right around the corner from the Arc de Triomphe. It is a really fun club with three different rooms and themes, and we stayed really late dancing and imitating the dance moves of an old guy who was standing on the stage all night and acting like he was orchestrating the crowd.

I slept SO well on the comfy beds at Hotel Raphael, and we all got up the next morning to have free breakfast. It has been a long time since I have had such a big breakfast… bacon, eggs, sausage, fresh squeezed orange juice, coffee, pain au chocolat... I wish that could be every morning!

On Saturday evening, Andrew and I flew to Germany to visit his grandma Yola for Easter. She lives in Vallendar (Koblenz). We had a great time visiting, resting, and eating great food with her and we owe her a lot for her hospitality! It means so much to be with family for the holidays. We also visited her church in Koblenz and I wish I could comment on the service but unfortunately I don’t know any German. Everyone was very welcoming though and I saw a few of Yola’s friends who I had met when I visited her in October. We love you Yola!

It was so nice this past Tuesday back in Paris… it felt like summer! My roommates, Chris, Andrew and I went to play frisbee in the Champ de Mars. After a long day at school, it was the perfect way to relax and look forward to more days like this to come. Seriously, as soon as it is consistently warm, I am sure you will find me every day at the Champ de Mars with a book, a blanket, and some baguettes and wine.

Last Wednesday I took Norgay and Kay Sar to Invalides and the Musée de L’Armée. Napoleon’s tomb is there and the museum shows a great history of WWI and WWII, and there is also a room showcasing old medieval knights armor. The boys loved that.

This week is my LAST week teaching. I can’t believe how fast my time here has gone! More reflections on teaching to come…

Andrew left last Friday for two weeks in LA. I will miss him very much and pray he has a safe and fun trip home, and that the surf is good (ha!). He has been talking about it for the last month!

This past weekend Chris and I explored many parks around Paris because the weather was BEAUTIFUL. I finally got some sun on my pasty skin! We had picnics at Champ de Mars (1 min walk from my apartment and right next to la Tour Eiffel) and les jardins at Versailles Palace. At the Versailles gardens (which are HUGE!), you can rent golf carts, bicycles, and even boats to row in the big pond. We also got to see Le Petit Trianon on the grounds of Versailles, where Marie Antoinette lived. It was so beautiful! Lucky Queen…

Last night Chris, Faye, Sean and I played some pong at my apartment. After playing at Miller’s Bar, we wanted to relive college all over again!

Annnnddd…. My Vacances de Pac (French school vacation in the last two weeks of April) plans are set: 6 days in Mallorca for a birthday trip with Becca and Em, 4 days in St. Tropez with Kay Sar and Norgay’s family, and 4 days in St. Andrews, Scotland! I am really lucky to have all of these experiences and can’t wait to tell you all about them!

Hotel Raphael

17 Avenue Kléber, 16^th arrondissement

Métro Kléber

Le Duplex

2 Avenue Foch, 16^th arrondissement

Métro Charles de Gaulle Etoile

Invalides (and Musee de l’Armee)

Esplanade des Invalides, 7^th arrondissement

Métro Invalides

Champ de Mars

7^th arrondissement

Métro La Motte Picquet Grenelle, Ecole Militaire, and RER Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel