things I'd rather be doing than homework:

*fucking anything.

I can do this.

One week. breathe. breathe. One week and I will be home.

One week and one day. Each day brings me closer. I can do this.

the cat's out of the bag. . .

I am coming home a week early! I will be home a week from Tuesday! Can't wait!

It was supposed to be a surprise to the Barry. But two days ago I biffed it. I was webcamming some virtual auditions for the show I am doing this summer and I typed to someone about changing the rehearsal schedule. . . followed by 'it's still a secret.' I was saddened to read the response, 'not anymore.'

Apparently he was still in the room.

Well, I will know in my heart how cool it would have been.

Because of coming home early, I have a surprising amount of homework to get done. I am sorry for the absence lately on the good ol' blog.

I'll give you the abridged version.

*I have stayed up very late/ all night the last few days sitting in on auditions taking place in MN. They went very well and we have a great cast! Very excited.

*I have done a lot of work and have a couple finals this week, including French! Highlight from my last French class:
Pip reading with an apparently very bad accent: blah blah blah blah blah. . . .
Teacher: (pause, thinking) Will you be staying in France this summer to work?
Pip: No.
Teacher: Aaah, very good then.

Apparently, I am so bad that her breath would be wasted on correcting me.

*Burglary is still crappy. My mom's ring was small, so I thought maybe it would turn up when I started cleaning up but it is still nowhere to be found. I also lost all my small electronic thingers, so I guess there will be no more photo's of France! I will try to bum some off of people for you!

*So sleep is a big concern for me . . . how do you like this one? I apparently now have insomnia? c'est impossible! I have been working out a couple hours a day and I am wondering if it somehow affecting how much sleep I need? . . . I don't know.

*I have also been in conversations with my future employer and have decided to move up my start date to earlier this summer. I was very apprehensive about doing this since the breakdown early this year. However, by moving it up a month I get to work with the team I was on last year and with a product that I am really interested in. They are also going to let me work part time for the first two weeks to ease into it, which should also help keep me from overloading my schedule too much with the play. I am really trying to not take on too much.

*I got a letter from my grandma today!

So seriously people. . . who wants to go for a walk around Como when I get back? Can't wait! Can't wait! Can't wait!

hip hop hurts

there should be a warning- 'this class may be harmful to knees.' It turns out my knees don't spin like the other kids.

ow.


I didn't realize I would kneed knee pads for every class*

Yes, I realize I just posted a picture of my knees. Yes, I realize my taste is in question. At least I didn't post my underwear again.


*2 points for the pun

life's lessons not yet learned

stIf you put your hair binders in the same place each and every day, they will be there each and every day.

Right. So I know this in my heart. Yet, I insist on scattering them everywhere so that I can have an adventure each and every day when I leave the house. Smart.

Well, adventures are fun right?

conversation

The Barrister got a new phone.


This was our conversation about the phone.

barrister says:
so I love my phone, did I mention that?
pip says:
good! how much did it end up being?
barrister says:
ehhh
pip says:
lol
barrister says:
it'll last me for 2 years
pip says:
that wasn't really the question. . . . i should blog this!
pip says:
no worries. as long as you are happy
barrister says:
it has google earth on it-- it gives you Metro stations in Paris! It won't work in paris but it is still cool. very Jack Bauer like.

at what point do you just adapt?

Ok, so I admit I am changing. I no longer think it is completely ridiculous to do your grocery shopping every day and I have given up to the reality that 'errands' can easily consume an entire afternoon.

There are still things I find absolutely hilarious-- like the incredible paper trail of France-- receipts for everything; croissants, coca light, clothing. . . and today the bus driver got up out of his seat and followed me to my seat to make sure I got my receipt.

(In case I want to return my trip?)
(In case I need proof of being on the bus at 2:21 pm, eating a croissant, drinking coca light, fully clothed?)
(In case I need a souvinir of this great voyage from the HEC to the train station?)

I am now wondering about the balance between seeing the differences between your culture and the culture you are visiting and adapting your style to match their culture. Can you do both?

The reason I thinking about this is because I overheard a fellow exchanger rant about what a pain it is to travel from Paris to Jouy. Yes, HEC is a bit 'out there' but I don't think the French would consider it an inconvenience. I am using this as an example because we have been here for 2 months and it is just as inconvenient as it was the first day right? Where is the balance here? Open for discussion . . .

how I cast my vote for student elections

The decision was tough. . . here is what the candidates offered. . . .

Delivered to your dorm room.
1. massage by a male or female- you choose
2. food- crepes, pizza, candy, sandwiches, soda, anything you really wanted. . .
3. alcohol
4. dance party- complete with dry ice and a disco ball
5. poetry readings
6. jazz performance/ theater performances
7. pot- rumor has it. . .
8. getting tucked in/ followed by breakfast in bed at the times of your choosing
9. t-shirts
10. movies


If you care to venture out of your room.
1. more food
2. free haircuts
3. laser tag
4. carnival rides
5. dance parties in the school building, I heard Madonna's 'HungUp' four times during a 3 hour class once. These happened at lunch time every day and continued into the afternoon. Despite popular opinion, it would appear that crazy euro dancing is not entirely due to alcohol consumption
6. dance parties every night.
7. velcro wall
8. karaoke
9. parades
10. a boxing ring in the middle of the cafeteria where whipped cream wrestling takes place at meal times.

Earlier I spoke about the ridiculous budgets for these campaigns- and by the first day of election week, it was oh so clear. . .

I thought this was funny- I asked one of the students why all the teams changed names and colors between last week and this week--( for example, my old team Sin-O-Sens was pink and turqoise but was now referring to themselves as the guerill'eros and sporting blue and black. )

She said that it was the rules that between campaign and pre-campaign each team had to create a new name, a new logo, new color scheme, new dance and get new merchandise. I asked why- when it seemed like a marketing nightmare and a heck of a lot of work.

She said- I don't know- it is a lot of work, but it is just the way it is. Again, tradition trumps efficiency at HEC.

Proud day for me though-- my kids won! Clearly it was the superior dancing. . .

I'm still, i'm still pippy from the block

a view from around the corner of my new abode. No, I did not take this picture- I have been squatting illegally at HEC-trying all day to play macro-economics. This is my one sneaky post that I shouldn't be doing. I have a lot to say and will be back soon. . . . maybe. . . tomorrow. . . . after my nap. . . . aah. nap. I wanted to show you what my neighborhood looks like- even though I am not there. Franky went back this evening and he said that the trains are still very difficult and that the neighborhood looks like, well, like there was a riot today.

I also liked this one:

both compliments of bbc

I just found out my grandparents sometimes read this blog-- HI! Miss you! I'M BEING SAFE! Promise. I heard the worst that can happen is having a car burned, and I don't be having no car! If worse comes to worse, and I can't leave my flat, I can, I don't know. . . study? Or go to Barcelona. . .

I vote Barcelona! Leaving in 2 days! The devil on the shoulder beats the angel! Again!


HEC again responded in their own way to the riots today . . . there was a velcro wall.

couldn't make it.

I am officially back on caffeine. Is there a 12 step program somewhere!?

french revolutions

The French eat croissants, drink and smoke excessively, insist on smothering all food in butter or cream, or if at all possible: butter and cream. Love all things caffeinated, love all things chocolate.

Love indulgence.

Why? Because they decided to say screw it all once they saw the price of the damn health clubs. Why even try?

"If the people have no bread, let them eat cake."
"And if those people have the cake, let them have a treadmill."

this campus is brought to you by the letters: E, Z , and the corporation: L'Oreal

So I am guessing we have all heard about the student protests. Right, so you would have to be living in a cave to miss it. Roy, a friend of mine from CSOM, wrote me asking about the HEC students reaction. I have spent quite a bit of time over the last couple of weeks thinking about this and the best way I can describe it is to say that the next best option to living in that cave would be living at HEC.

If it weren't for my addiction to online news, I wouldn't have known about the protests. It isn't that the students here don't care, it is that they are privileged in a way that I have a hard time even beginning to describe. If you ask the students directly how they feel about it they will say that they support the student efforts. However, by supporting I mean that they are most concerned about the possibility of class cancelling.

Now, let's talk about this privilege. When we first came to campus, the international student advisor touched on this fact during our orientation. She said to not be surprised if we hear phrases like 'we are the best' or that 'HEC is number 1.' Which made me giggle, Then she followed it up by saying that it was true. These students are the top of the field for their age. Each year HEC admits 300 students from 50,000 applications. Here is where the privilege becomes prevalant. In order to be accepted at HEC you must be tri-lingual and have completed 2 years of preparatory work with excellent marks. This is where things start to bug me a little bit- from what I understand preparation work for HEC means a intelligence yes, but also a considerable family financial contribution. Not to diminish the hard work that these kids have done in order to get in here, but I am sure that the fancy schools and private tutoring helped too.

So why are these kids not worried about job security for the under 26 market? Because they aren't worried about job security at all. HEC is a pretty sweet resume booster and they are guaranteed a job once leaving HEC. Students do not take academics seriously at all once they are here, but rest assured they do take 'networking' very seriously. It is because of the diminished academics, which mind you I am not complaining about too much, that I have time to reflect on life's greater issues.

What are the kids worried about? Drinking? Yep. Student government elections are this month and each group that runs is sponsored by a corporation. Now for a point of reference, when you run as an individual at CSOM you get $25 to help in your election, which almost no one uses. Each team of 20 individuals or so is sponsored by a corporation and is given $200,000 to campaign. Not a typo. There are 3 teams, so that means $600,000 being spent on drinking and bribing. Again, not a typo. I have heard that there are helicopter rides next week. Can't wait.

Last week was the week of 4 Thursdays, with each night a different party in the cafeteria (. . .this is the room ikea built) being transformed by each of the groups running. Yes, we are choosing our elected representatives based on their ability to throw a good theme party. Two
themes stuck out to me. 1. Girl Power- which had posters featuring pictures of lipstick and Kellogg's corn flakes- pointing out the fact that Corn Flakes is Fat Free. Yes, women can and should be epitomized by lipstick and fat free corn flakes. Yes I am being sarcastic, don't hate-mail me. The other theme was 2. Cowboys and the Rouges (the reds). I think the title alone is enough to see why it bothered me.

Part of the reason, I am a little thoughtful about this topic lately is because of something I witnessed in London during the March 18 protest of the war in Iraq. The 3rd anniversary was commemorated around the world with various protests and we were fortunate enough to particpate while we were in London. What struck me so powerfully about this event was the diversity of the protesters, many carried signs, many carried children and many carried Starbucks. All were in community and all were present to the issue, passionate about the cause. photos

So, due to the fact that HEC is 20 minutes outside of Paris, the greatest inconvenience is the fact that the trains haven't been running. In the meantime while Paris is off protesting the greater needs of student rights, we are playing Cowboys and Indians in the woods.

the impossible dream

I overcame incredible odds.

I fought the unbeatable foe, I went where the brave dare not go in an effort to right the unrightable wrong. That's right folks, some would even say that I dreamed the impossible dream.

I stared deep into the evil eyes of French customer service and got what I wanted!

I successfully changed a class for the second 1/2 of the semester.

To my clever opponent, France: You may be winning the war. But this battle was all mine. Next week on the agenda, marching into hell for a heavenly cause.

I hope you all think this is half as funny as I do

Often the morning after big parties, students will put a sign on the door asking the cleaning lady not to enter at 8 am. Think of it as the French equivalent of the Do Not Disturb Sign.

Here is why this is funny:

George speaks French much better than English. He is from Quebec.
The Clean Lady only speaks French. Frantic miming sessions can vouch for this fact. Ponder this: What is the universal symbol for garbage can?

I was walking to the bathroom this morning and passed George's door and immediately ran back to my room to get my camera.

In George's defense- he blames this on the fact that so many of his friends (me) prefer English.
George I will not clean your room. Promise.

travel adventures- coming soon!

I am going to Belgium tomorrow! Cool!

teach me your dance- the second installment

t-shirt
Originally uploaded by mes vies.

A boy ran up to me in the cafeteria yesterday and started talking rapidly in French. I started to drool, which is generally what happens when people don't make a conscious effort to speak slowly. I responded the only way I knew how. . .Please slow down (in french. )

He said that I got a t-shirt because I learned their dance!

If I wear it, I will get my drinks faster. At least. . . that is what I think he said.


That's right- that makes me an official, 'shirt carrying' member of the team!

The dance team.

Guest blog extrordinaire

So here I am, now taking over Dana's blog for a post. Or more...

I was thinking Yesterday about why the French are in France yesterday on our train ride to Normandy. As Dana has mentioned, the weather here is strange, it isn't particularly green right now, and the countryside of northern France is reminiscent of Central Minnesota with its mandatory two cafes and a tall church steeple in every village. Everything old was crumbling; everything new was, well, strange.

On the way back, after visiting the beaches of Normandy (which were entirely devoid of French visitors, which I thought a bit odd), I figured it out. The red sun was setting into the clouds over the ruins of a Norman castle and with Dana resting her head on my shoulder, France was perfect. It was just us together sharing a moment that nobody else seemed to see. I had the love of my life next to me enjoying the same sights, and there was no place we had to go, no rush to be anywhere, no language barrier to restrict our options, and no time mattered any more. No further words could better describe it-- it was perfection in life.

Maybe you can have a scene like that anywhere. But here when you do it, it becomes an art form-- a picture meant to last, an image burned into memory that generations later still exists and glows brighter than ever before.

From the graffiti covering every square inch of Metro walls to the halls of the Louvre, the French enjoy their art. Not to say they're the only ones, but the French certainly figured it out-- the art isn't just on the walls in France. You live it here-- being with the one you love here makes life not only bearable, but beautiful.

God lives in France this time of the year

Yesterday we based a lot of our trip on chance. We got up in the morning and took a trip to Bayeux which is the closest train stop to Omaha beach. I had a hard time finding solid information about how to actually get to the beach but I was hopeful that we would be able to figure it out once we got to the train station. I believe I said the words. . . "I am sure we will find a large sign that says TOURS OF OMAHA BEACH THIS WAY -->"
We went into Paris to look for the large UBER station that would take us to Normandy. We eventually found the large train station and the attendant was nice enough to let us get on an earlier train which meant that we wouldn't have to transfer at Caen. Win number 1. After passing through Caen which looked like a pretty big town with signs everywhere to visit beaches, we continued on for 20 minutes or so to Bayeux. Okay- so Bayeux is not the metropolis that I had hoped. In fact, it was smaller than Jouy. Quaint, with a big, beautiful, gothic church and a bar. . . . and in the middle of fucking nowhere. Drats. So, trying to be optimimistic we left the train station and started walking toward the bar. About 10 seconds later we saw a giant sign pointing to the bar that said: TOURS OF OMAHA BEACH THIS WAY --> win number 2. The tour place was 'quaint' as well. . . but the tour man was very nice- especially when he told us that we had unfortunately missed the last tour of the day but he could get us a driver to take us to all the sights. win number 3.
So we all piled into an old van and the cutest french man ever, who we later realized was probably just the cook, drove us to the cemetary, Omaha beach and Pont Du Hoc. Very cool . . . very very cool. I also got a message from Aunt Sparky that mentioned that my grandfather had landed there in WW2, so that was pretty neat to think about as well. The final win of the day came when we missed the last train from Versaille to Jouy. Right, doesn't sound like a win-- in fact we thought we might need to get a hotel 10 minutes away from campus. But wait there is more! We walked out of the train station towards the town of Versailles in hopes of a bus or cab that might out of pure luck be willing to go to Jouy en Josas. Right in front of the train station was a cab, I asked the cab driver in French if he spoke English. And he said "No. . . (pause). . .HEC?" Win number 4. 15 euro later, we were back on campus and we didn't even have to walk the mile uphill from the train station in freezing weather. That is a damn bargain if you ask me.

As Matty put it: "God must be in France this time of year"

Few pictures included and more available on the flickr site:



The last few days have been really fun. The Barrister was pretty sick when he got here and now Matty has come down with it as well. We have been taking it easy just kind of heading to Paris as people feel well enough. Tomorrow we head to London. With our luck, let's hope God has a timeshare in London as well.

feels like home

Last night while I was trying to fall asleep I was thinking about how blessed I am in so many ways. The barristers arm was draped across my stomach and for the first time in weeks I felt an unconditionally love that was familiar but has been missing in France. Since being here I have often thought of home, but last night a new thought hit me. Home is not a location nearly as much as it is a someone. Home is wherever the person you love resides.

proud day

"Look dear, you would be proud of me. I bought underwear on my own."


yes. yes. very proud.