September 2011
23 posts
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Maybe you already know this but... My Brain on...
Cornell Univ used fMRI to present how languages are represented in the human brain. In adults, native and second languages are spatially separated in Broca’s area, which is the region in the frontal lobe of the brain responsible for the motor parts of language: movement of the mouth, tongue and palate. In contrast, the two languages show very little separation in the Wernicke’s area,...
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Love Your Routine
Last year, I never really thought of myself as someone with much ambition past getting a degree, getting a job and living in the suburbs for the rest of my life. This was a routine I was never sure I completely wanted, and I paid for it with countless evenings crying and wondering why I was getting nowhere when these were supposed to be the things in life I “really wanted”.
Getting...
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Maybe you already know this but... Terms of...
While being a part of a french family environment with small children, I started to pick up on a few awkward terms of endearment for children all said in a lovingly endearing french voice:
Attends, ma puce - Wait, my flea.
A ce soir, mon chou - See you tonight, my cabbage
annnnd my favorite:
mon jésus - yep, you guessed it - my Jesus
“Look, I like the Christmas Jesus best, and I’m...
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“Paris is always a good idea.”
– Audrey Hepburn
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Week 3 in Paris: French. French. French
French. English. French. French. English. French. Spanish, wait, WTF?!
Language overload. Spoken French — translate in head — think of response — translate in head — trip over words — moment has passed — mutters “je ne sais pas (I don’t know) — fail miserably.
I’m waiting for that precious moment when it all just… clicks.
When my...
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Love Where You Live
It’s walking outside and appreciating the city you live in. It’s stopping to smell the flowers or read a book in the sunshine. It’s loving every single moment of your day regardless of circumstance, because your city is where you love to be. It’s smiling at the people walking by and ordering your favorite thing on the menu. It’s staring out your window at absolutely...
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Weekend in Paris: Come Visit Me!
A weekend in Paris with me includes everything that’s wonderfully cliche about Paris: multiple visits to the local patisseries et boulangeries for pastries and baguettes galore, cheap wine in the park, evenings drinking by the Seine, saucisson et fromage sandwiches with fresh baguette on a park bench or picnic blanket, window shopping boutiques and walking across town to indulge in a classic...
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Week 2: Walking in Paris
It’s too easy to burn off those baguette calories and carbs for Parisians; they walk absolutely everywhere. Women are thin, calf muscles are trim, and I can’t even imagine the beating their little feet get from walking in those designer heels. I’m sticking to my flats with dr. scholls inserts until… well for the rest of my Paris life.
Thanks to the lovely folks at...
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Wait, you mean it's... Free?! Paris Free WiFi
The intoxicating smell of the purple rose bushes behind everyone’s favorite gothic cathedral is where I often take my tiny boyfriend Louis during our Promenade Fridays. But tonight’s a bit different, I’m out alone sitting on a park bench taking in the fresh smells and bright colors of the flowers, listening to the church bells and soaking in the last few rays of sunshine as the...
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Maybe you already know this but… Love-Locks
Found the newest bridge, Pont de l’Archevêché, with a gorgeous display of padlocked romance. This display of undying love started almost 20 years ago around Europe, and couples from all over the world engrave their intials, fasten the lock on the railing and toss the key into the Seine as a symbol of their undying love. While its previous location was the Pont des Arts crossing the Seine...
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First Week in Paris: Routine
Ask any of my friends and they’ll tell you I’m not always keen on adhering to a set schedule. Plans made in advance of 3 days or more were likely to fall through because I wrote it down somewhere and now it’s long gone.
Living as a gypsy out of a backpack for 2 months in Thailand and then on my dad’s couch/futon/floor for another 10 weeks, I’ve selfishly (and pleasantly) made my own schedule...
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Maybe you already know this but… Paris Respire
Went out for a brisk run this morning after a cool front from last night’s showers and to my pleasant surprise found the road along the Seine to be completely car free and filled with Parisians walking, biking, running and rollerblading for miles (err.. kilometers).
It’s part of the “Paris Respire” (Paris breathes) scheme to go car-less on Sundays from 9 to 5 on many roads in the city along the...
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Wait, you mean it's... Free?! Tip #2
My favorite museum, Musée d’Orsay, will have free admission this Sunday as it is the first Sunday of the month. Even the special exhibitions are free and, of course, the permanent collections. Doors open at 9:30. I have a feeling that breakfast with Manet, Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh and Cezanne is going to get pretty steamy… Will there be wine? It only makes sense.
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Evening 4: Night Out and Night In
The first 5 minutes of my run absolutely astounded me, I took off with overzealous ambition (and paid for it later) after 3 run-less days and utter amazement that I am actually living in this gorgeous city for an entire year. After a bit of frustration and self-motivation/20 minute break, I completed my first ever set of four 1/2 mile runs. Tomorrow I’ll go explore the jardin des plantes...
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Wait, you mean it's... Free?! Tip #1
Louvre Museum:
On Friday evenings from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., admission to the permanent collections is free for under-26s regardless of nationality (on presentation of ID).
Free admission for all visitors on the first Sunday of each month and on July 14.
So my plan for this evening: a stroll down the Seine from Ile St. Louis around 5 p.m. and then entry all evening to the Louvre. My Friday night...
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Evening 3 & Day 4: 18 hour "work" day
Le Petit Nicolas, baguette and espresso for breakfast, walks to the park holding two little hands, pillow forts and little french ramblings plus tons of goodnight kisses? This au pair thing may have me becoming a little more attached than I previously imagined.
Last night’s Madeline story (in English, hooray) and netbook-illuminated cave made of every blanket in the house was a big hit with...
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Day 1, 2 & 3: I Could Get Used to This
My first night was spent in celebration of my arrival with champagne, 3 glasses of bourgogne, dried saucisson, 3 types of sheep cheese, et poulet avec couscous, all whilst the lights of the Seine river boats danced off the corners of the dining area all evening.
Okay okay, so it won’t be like this every night, but the silverware is actually silver and their humongous flat decorated in a...
August 2011
2 posts
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Become an Au Pair: Kat's How-To
“How to work and travel and be cheap and learn a language and be happy” - my first Google Search
Eventually I found something a little more specific:
iapa.org - International Au Pair Association - Search Paris, France basically legitimizes au pair agencies all over the world, but I continued to check credentials and requirements for many agencies around Paris.
Agency Chosen: Fee...
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The Past 6 Months
3 Continents
3 Visas
8 Currencies
10 Countries
12 flights
14 Stamps in my Passport
73 flight hours
Countless Adventures