it's been 2 months?!

 

 

 

 

(I apologize for my phone pics for being mainly of food and Paris. I will try better this month.)

Wow, where did the time go? Slow down! I can't believe I only have a little more than a month here left. I know my mom is especially excited for me to come back home. From the very beginning, she's been constantly counting down the weeks till I leave. I can't wait to see my family again, but I also don't want this experience to end yet! But don't worry Mommy, I'm coming back home. I mean, I have no choice since I already purchased my return ticket...

I've definitely been able to get comfortable with my life in Manchester, and I love being able to do things on my own. The city has certainly grown on me, and I've learned to appreciate it more each and everyday. I'm a person that usually likes to stay indoors and tune into Netflix all day everyday, but now I love to go out and explore with my friends. Life abroad isn't all about traveling--I especially enjoy the little things. Whether it's watching a bizarre movie like Horns, chatting over afternoon tea, or trying to find the best Chinese food in Manchester, these are the moments that make me really happy.

But speaking of traveling, this past month was full of exciting trips. The weekends to Stratford Upon-Avon, Bath and Stonehenge, and Edinburgh were all wonderful. And of course, there was Paris. We have to go back!!! Also, this might be TMI, but after coming back from Paris I had a huge breakout on my chin. I think it was a side effect from all the macarons and pastries I consumed. Oh, the things I'll sacrifice for Parisian sweets.

The month of November will be especially busy. Besides a few more weekend trips planned, lots of deadlines and presentations will be coming up in the next couple of weeks. Oh joy. Remember before when I said I was being productive with my readings? Well, that's unsurprisingly gone downhill. I should be writing my essay now instead of this blog, but blogging is so much more fun. The essay isn't even assessed, so I shouldn't even care, BUT I DO. It's so hard to get to 1,500 words; I want to cry. But there are no time for tears! I'm going to make the most out of this month and enjoy this journey while it lasts.

sunday roast

This evening, I had the pleasure of being invited to have a Sunday roast dinner! A couple of weeks ago at a volunteering event, I had made friends with two other students named Karen and Paul. Paul was talking about how he had learned how to cook different types of British food during his stay with a host family, including Sunday roast. Never having a proper Sunday roast before (the one I had at a bar doesn't really count), Karen and I joked about him having us over one day for a meal. Well, turns out he was serious!

If you aren't familiar with what a Sunday roast is, it's pretty much exactly what it sounds like. But according to Wikipedia:

The Sunday roast is a traditional British and Irish main meal that is traditionally served on Sundays but can be eaten on any day of the week, consisting of roasted meat, roast potato or mashed potato, with accompaniments such as Yorkshire pudding, stuffing, vegetables and gravy.

Paul also said it would be a 4 course meal with an appetizer, the main course, dessert, and tea. We were first poured glasses of wine, which was a nice surprise. But Karen and I both don't drink, so we ended up having good ol' lemonade instead. The first course was chopped up carrots and cucumbers, with an egg and shrimp salad on top.

For the main course, we had roasted chicken, Yorkshire pudding, and roasted vegetables all smothered in a homemade gravy. The chicken was so flavorful and juicy. Can you believe Paul marinated it over night? What dedication!

And guess what: we actually had this meal IN THE DARK. I'm not sure if this is what all British people do, but Paul's host family would light candles and turn off the lights when eating the main course. Apparently Sunday roast doesn't look that appetizing, and turning off the lights distracts you from looking at the food and just the enjoying the flavors more. It was a very interesting experience.

I was really full after the roast that I could barely eat the dessert. But we were served with an assortment of fruits and sweets!

Thank you so much to Paul for giving us such a fantastic meal! I'm now stuffed and really sleepy.

happy halloween!

My adorable little brother decided to dress up as Harry Potter this Halloween. Wise choice.

What are my plans for tonight? Oh, just working on my essays some more and eating too much candy. Maybe I'll squeeze in Shaun of the Dead or Hocus Pocus sometime tonight, too. And eat a Cornetto while I'm at it.

What does England do for Halloween? Apparently some of these bizarre events.

Anyway, hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween! I hope you have as much fun as these two.

paris, france: days 3 & 4

The Paris adventures continue! Hannah, Stacie and I started off Monday morning with a healthy dose of macarons! Now, apparently there is a rivalry between Pierre Herme and Laduree over the best macarons in Paris. We first went into Pierre Herme, where we were greeted with free chocolate samples (YES!). We ended up getting a box of 7 macarons for €18. *cringe* But it was actually worth it. I got the lavender and dark chocolate and sea salt macarons, and we shared the olive oil and vanilla macaron. They melted in your mouth and the flavors were just right. SO GOOD.

Pretty patties!

After crying over how fast the macarons were gone, we were able to go inside the Palais Garnier this time! Ah, being inside just made me remember the "masquerade" scene in the Phantom of the Opera. The whole opera house is lovely, and it's the most beautiful venue I've ever seen.

After the opera house, Hannah sadly had to leave us to do some work. But she directed us to a bakery called Du Pain et Des Idees, which is apparently regarded as one of the best bakeries in Paris. I didn't go into that many bakeries during my stay, but I'll vouch for that, anyway. We ordered a whole bunch of items from Hannah's recommendations, including the niflettes (mini pastries with a custard filling), the escargot (filled pastries shaped like a snail's shell), and the smoked bread. It's hard to pick a favorite because I loved everything.

Aww yeah.

After consuming too many carbs, we headed to the Arc de Triomphe. We were hoping to go up the monument, since we were told that the view from the top offers a better view than the Eiffel Tower. But since the Arc de Triomphe is right in the center of a very busy roundabout, we had no idea where to cross. So we walked along the Champs Elysees, a street full of restaurants and luxury shops that sell things no one can afford.

Along the Champs Elysees, there was also a Laduree! Obviously, we had to get more macarons and compare it to Pierre Herme's. It was a really cute shop, but I have to say, I was pretty dissapointed with their macarons. They were too sweet for my liking, and had a strange texture--definitely not "melt in your mouth." The flavors they offered also weren't that unique. So who wins the macaron battle in Paris? I give my vote Pierre Herme.

We then rushed over to the Eiffel Tower to snap some photos before the sun set, because night time photos are not enough! My heart just fluttered everytime I looked at it. I took a way too many pictures, but I'll just showcase my favorite ones.

Je t'aime!

After dinner that night, we headed to the Sacre Coeur to get a night view over the city. It's a church located on top of a hill called the Montmarte, which is the highest point in the city. For this metro exit in particular, we had to climb a spiral staircase that never seemed to end. Oh, the burn in my thighs. It was only when we got to the top that we noticed there was an elevator. Eh, it was good exercise I suppose.

Before getting on a cable car to get up to the Sacre Couer, around this area were a bunch of scammers. Which brings me to attempted scam #4 (I skipped #2 and #3 because they weren't much): a guy with a bunch of bracelets in his hand was approaching me, saying "Hello there!" but I quickly said "no" and started walking straight ahead (Stacie was walking a bit behind me). He tried to get in front of me, saying "No, no, I just want to show you something!" in which he suddenly GRABBED my wrist. I quickly pulled away and said "no" multiple times, and walked faster towards the ticket booth for the cable car. I knew about these "string men" before coming to Paris, but I wasn't aware that they're actually known to be prominent around the Sacre Couer. It was a bit scary, but thankfully nothing happened.

After that incident, we made our way up the Montemarte to the Sacre Couer. The view was beautiful, but unfortunately trees are in the way of letting you see the Eiffel Tower. It's also a bit strange that there were a bunch of people drinking outside the church?

The next morning, Hannah brought us to a bakery nearby her place. I seriously don't know how the French stay so slim and fit when there are bakeries everywhere. Is it because they go up and down the stairs all the time? I've noticed that the French metros rarely have escalators. Is that their secret?

I got a chocolate eclair and a baguette sandwich with mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, and an olive tapanade. I haven't had too many eclairs in my day, but wow, this eclair was delicious. The baguette was also one of the best I've ever eaten. I'm still dreaming about them.

We didn't have much time to do anything else in Paris, since we had to get the the train station around 3:00 PM. So Stacie and I decided to spend our morning at the Palace of Versailles, once home to Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette. What can I say about the Palace Versailles other than how ridiculously massive and glorious it is? Gold was everywhere at the front gates! Jeez, can you just imagine the lives of French royalty before? It's insane. I want that lavish life.

Unfortunately, we didn't have time to go inside because the line to get in was literally a mile long. We definitely weren't expecting such a huge crowd that morning. I was really upset because I wanted to go inside and also see the gardens. Oh well, one day I'll be back! One day... (sorry, I just had to.)

So instead of going inside the château, we ended up just walking around the streets of Versailles and shopping at Monoprix, which is a French retail store similar to Target. I loaded up on a lot of pate, some Dijon mustard, and French sweets. I really don't know how I'm going to fit all of my stuff into my luggage when I go back home.

Before we knew it, our French travels were over, and we headed back to Hannah's to get ready to leave.

Bye bye cute and shy French kitty!

It was sad to say goodbye, and I am missing Hannah so much right now. But I'll be seeing her in the next couple of weeks when she comes to visit the U.K.! I want to thank Hannah and Pallavi so much for letting us stay in their home and helping us around! I couldn't have done this trip without them.

Paris, overall, was great. Was it what I dreamed it would be? Not exactly--it had its good and bad moments. It was certainly nothing like Jenny's trip to Paris from the movie An Education (which I love). But I think that the city is absolutely beautiful, and I'm so glad I got to experience a bit of it all. From eating the delicious pastries to visiting some of the prettiest monuments and museums in the world, Paris has a lot to offer, and I want to come back one day to visit other areas in France. But maybe when I sharpen my French skills. Someone please make learning French as enjoyable as Flight of the Conchords.

I have a lot more thoughts about Paris that I'll probably save for another day, but now I have so many essays to get going on. *sigh*